The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team, ranked #8 in the NABC Coaches' poll, topped St. Michael's College by a 96-88 count in the season opener at Aquinas Hall. Justin Reyes led five Spartans in double-figures with 21 points and added a game-high 13 rebounds while Matt Bonds set the pace for St. Michael's with a game-high 25 points and 11 caroms.
With a preseason worth of national accolades behind them, the Spartans charged from the gate in the opening minutes, with Reyes scoring the game's first five points and James Mitchell adding a three to cap an 8-0 start. The Purple Knights retained their poise, however, and Bonds converted a lay-up with 14:39 left to cap a 14-2 run and give the visitors a 15-12 lead.
That touched off a flurry of lead changes with the high-scoring affair remaining tight through 20 minutes as STAC enjoyed a 44-38 halftime edge.
Levi Holmes III brought St. Michael's to within 47-45 with an early trey, but Chaz Watler hit two stright to help extend the advantage to 53-45. Holmes and teammate Derek Cheatom each connected from deep as the Knights stormed on an 18-6 burst in a span of just over four minutes, giving them their largest lead of the game at 63-59.
STAC would answer quickly with Reyes again a key factor, with a three-point play and a lay-up as part of a 7-0 spurt, with the Spartans holding a 66-63 lead. After David Sullivan gave SMC a 67-66 lead, Shaq McFarlan would step up to lead STAC on a decisive 14-3 outburst and an 80-70 advantage, and they would not trail for the remainder of the evening.
Watler and Jon Lawton added 18 each for STAC, with Mitchell and McFarlan chipping in 11 points each. Holmes kept is Purple Knights in the game with 24 points, while Zaire Williams was impressive with 15 points and six assists off the bench. The Spartans enjoyed a 36-39 rebounding gap and turned the ball over just nine times for the game.
The Spartans Tip-off Classic concludes tomorrow night when St. Thomas Aquinas hosts the University of New Haven, with start time set for 7:30 pm.