United States Merchant Marine Academy

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (Feb. 1, 2023) – The USMMA Mariners men's basketball team outlasted the Old Westbury Panthers 59-55 for their sixth consecutive victory. Merchant Marine improved to 11-9 (9-2 Skyline) while Old Westbury fell to 2-16 (2-9 Skyline). On a night where defenses shined, the Mariners were able to stay at arm's length and close out an important road win.
 
Game Links

• Box Score 

Tonight's star for the Mariners was sophomore Drew Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.), who dropped a game-high 21 points. An 8-for-19 night from the field and a 2-for-5 mark from downtown by Zalescik gave the Mariners just the spark they needed as the sophomore proved to be a difference maker on all areas of the floor.
 
Whether in the paint, beyond the arc, or back on defense, Zalescik had his name all over this game. Of Zalescik's eight total rebounds, five were of the offensive variety in the opening 20 minutes. Those five offensive boards were key, as they led to six Mariner points.
 
Zalescik's presence all over the court opened up looks for fellow sophomore Kody Robinson (Woodbridge, N.J.). Robinson splashed two key three-pointers less than two minutes apart late in the first half which helped USMMA take a 27-20 lead into the locker room.
 
For Old Westbury, it was Max Weinberg who put up 18 points to keep the Panthers in the game for all 40 minutes. After only taking four shots the entire first half, Weinberg went 6-for-9 in half number two with 13 points. Similarly to Weinberg, Zalescik contributed a majority of his points in the second half by registering 12 of his 21 points in the second frame.
 
The game's largest sequence came with 10:17 remaining and the Mariners holding a skinny 39-36 lead. Head coach Rob Pryor's squad delivered two key answers A Zalescik layup was immediately answered a Zachary Cummings deuce for Old Westbury. Sophomore Brandon Allison (Fayetteville, Ga.) punched right back with a triple that was quickly cancelled out by a Timothy Park three.
 
Refusing to let the Panthers claw back into the lead, Zalescik came back down the court with his second and final three piece of the night to put USMMA up 47-41 with 8:47 on the clock.
 
To put a bow on the hard-fought road win, Zalescik and sophomore Isaac Vencel (Bloomington, Ind.) tag teamed for six points in 56 seconds to put the Mariners up 57-52. The chemistry between Vencel and Zalescik has blossomed nicely this season as the two sophomores are a duo to be reckon with offensively.
 
Earlier this season, Coach Pryor stressed that the games against #3 Randolph Macon and #20 Mary Washington taught his team how to win and implement their style of play for the full 40 minutes. Tonight was a perfect example of the Mariners understanding what it takes to win a close game on the road and now USMMA will look to carry that momentum into their next contest.
 
That next contest for Coach Pryor's club will be up at Purchase this Saturday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is set for 12-noon, as Merchant Marine will look to cage more Panthers and earn their seventh-straight victory. The Mariners won the first meeting between the two teams 63-50 back on Dec. 7 at Liebertz Gymnasium. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Men's Basketball Schedule Page.
 
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