The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team captured a big 84-80 East Coast Conference victory at Molloy College. Justin Reyes led five Spartans in double figures with 17 points in the team's third straight win. raising their mark to 5-5 overall and 3-1 in conference action, with Molloy slipping to 7-4, 2-2.
After a Jaylen Morris layup gave the hosts an early 4-3 advantage, the Spartans went on a tear, reeling off 12 straight points to grab a lead they would not relinquish despite some tense moments late in the game. Chaz Watler and Sam Berlin sparked the uprising with five points each in that stretch and STAC would continue to apply the pressure, eventually opening a dominant 23-6 chasm past the midway point of the first half.
STAC would increase that margin to as much as 34-14 before the Lions regained some footing, closing the half with a 10-3 run to cut the deficit to 37-24 entering the locker room.
Molloy's defense would help the hosts draw to within 42-33 on a Jaylen Morris jumper but the Spartans would answer, with a Reyes three-pointer capping an immediate 10-2 run. Once again, the Lions would claw back, with a Matt McLeod bucket drawing to 52-44 midway through the half, but the visitors would respond yet again, running off the next eight points in what proved to be a decisive run.
Though the contest seemed well in hand with STAC holding a 73-57 lead with under three minutes to play, Molloy's offense would get a sudden wakeup call. Morris would catch fire, draining four straight treys in the waning minutes as part of his game-high 32 point effort. That would be just enough to make the final score respectable as the Lions would draw no closer than three points, and did not have a possession with a chance to tie or take the lead down the stretch.
Reyes had a game-high 13 rebounds to go with his 17 points, and he was joined in double-digits by Chaz Watler (15), Aaron Cust (11), Jules deCourtenay (11) and Marcus Henderson (10 points, seven assists). McLeod contributed 20 points in a losing cause for Molloy.
The Spartans will now enjoy the Christmas break before returning to Aquinas Hall to ring out the year 2014. They will host Stonehill College in a non-conference tilt on Wednesday, December 31, as the back end of a twin-bill featuring STAC's women's team against Southern Connecticut State University. The Lady Spartans tip at 1:00 pm, followed by the men's contest at approximately 3:00.
The St. Thomas Aquinas College Department of Athletics would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and a safe, happy, and healthy Holiday Season!