Daytona Beach, FL – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team (2-4) dropped a hard-fought contest to Piedmont University, 91-82, in their opening game of the Mauro Panaggio Tournament in Daytona, Florida, on Monday afternoon. Despite a spirited effort and a commanding surge from the second unit, the Golden Eagles were unable to hold off a blistering second-half run by the Lions.
The Green and Gold showed their resilience early, battling through a back-and-forth first half that featured intense action and several momentum swings. Brockport closed the half on a strong note, heading into the locker room with a slim 38-35 advantage. The high-octane affair featured 8 total lead changes before the game's decisive turning point midway through the second frame.
Piedmont's offense came to life after the break, pouring in 56 points in the second half. The pivotal stretch came when the Lions utilized a decisive 15-5 run, stretching a narrow 58-57 lead to a comfortable 73-62 advantage, a gap the Golden Eagles could not overcome.
Backcourt and Veteran Leadership: Senior leader
Zachary Rice's presence was felt throughout the contest, finishing with a team-high 19 points, including sinking two triples from beyond the arc. Rice has been the catalyst for the Golden Eagles' offense this year, currently averaging 17.2 points and 5 rebounds on the early season. He rounded out his line with 5 boards and a block. His veteran presence continues to be vital, echoing his previous high-impact performances.
Guard
Pharell Aybar started to find his rhythm, delivering a strong all-around performance to match the team's scoring pace with 17 points on an efficient 7-12 shooting. Operating as a floor general, Aybar was highly productive, distributing a team-high 5 assists, collecting 4 rebounds, and logging a team-high 2 steals.
Bench Provides Critical Firepower: The Golden Eagles' depth was a consistent bright spot, with the bench contributing an outstanding 37 total points to keep the team competitive throughout the game.
- Forward Marco Evans provided a massive lift off the bench, delivering a season-high 17 points and leading the team with 7 rebounds. Evans displayed remarkable efficiency, shooting a slick 54.5% (6-11) from the field and converting all his attempts from the charity stripe (4-4). He also dished out 3 assists and finished the contest with zero turnovers, showcasing exceptional ball security while running the second unit.
- Cameron Pownall was dominant in the low post, stepping up with timely contributions and scoring 10 points on impressive 5-6 shooting, with all of his baskets coming on layups inside the paint. He also snagged 4 rebounds in just 10 minutes of game action.
Up Next: The Golden Eagles will look to regroup as they play Washington and Lee University on Tuesday, December 16th, at 12 p.m., for the final game of the Mauro Panaggio Tournament.
