United States Merchant Marine Academy

WAYNE, N.J. (Dec. 14, 2022) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's basketball team came up short on the road against William Paterson, 72-51, as the host Pioneers made 16 3-pointers in the contest. The defeat puts the USMMA record at 3-6, while William Paterson improves to 5-5.
 
Game File

• Box Score 

Sophomore Kody Robinson (Woodbridge, Va.) finished 6-of-10 from the floor, including 2-of-5 from distance, to lead the Mariners with 14 points. Fellow sophomore Drew Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.) added 10 points, while classmate Isaac Vencel (Bloomington, Ind.) scored nine points off the bench. USMMA shot 19-of-53 (35.8 percent) from the floor, but made just 5-of-21 (23.8 percent) from long range.
 
Shawn Summers Jr. scored a game-high 16 points to lead William Paterson. Neftali Valentin made 4-of-11 3-pointers as part of a 14-point effort, and Jadon Cepeda added nine points on 3-of-3 shooting from distance. The Pioneers were 16-of-41 (39.0 percent) from 3-point range and benefitted from 24 points off turnovers.
 
The Pioneers scored the game's first five points and quickly opened a 10-4 lead. The Mariners responded immediately as Vencel made back-to-back 3-pointers to cap a 10-0 run that put USMMA up by a 14-10 margin at the 13:43 mark. Cepeda ended the rally with a 3-pointer for William Paterson and then added another to knot the score at 16-16 less than two minutes later.
 
The game was tied at 20-20 before Summers Jr. scored seven-consecutive points and Valentin added a pair of 3s to spark a 15-0 run that gave the Pioneers a 35-20 lead. A pair of Zalescik free throws made it 35-22 at the break.
 
After junior Bryce Bristow (Plano, Texas) opened the second-half scoring with a layup, William Paterson answered as a Summers Jr. slam put an exclamation point on an 11-0 surge that saw the home team's lead balloon to 22 points, 46-24. Robinson followed with a 3 for USMMA, but consecutive 3-pointers by the Pioneers pushed the lead to 25. Another 3 from Valentin put the Pioneers up 58-31, their largest lead of the game, and USMMA would pull no closer than 18 the rest of the way.
 
USMMA next heads to Ashland, Va., early next week for a pair of games as part of the Suyes Holiday Yellow Jacket Classic. The Mariners play host Randolph-Macon at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 19, before taking on either Mary Washington or Stockon on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Live stats and live videos for both games will be available with links on the USMMA Men's Basketball Schedule Page.
 
Follow USMMA Athletics On Social Media!
Be sure to follow USMMA Athletics on social media to get up-to-the-minute updates on your favorite teams! Start following today on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!