KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Nov. 19, 2025) - The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's basketball team picked up its first win of the season on Tuesday night, defeating Pratt Institute, 71-66, in non-conference action at Liebertz Gymnasium. The Mariners improve to 1-1 on the year, while the Cannoneers drop to 2-2.
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The Blue and Gray had four players score in double figures on the night. Freshman guard Jack Flannery (McKinney, Texas) led all scorers with a game-high 25 points, including 18 of them in the second half, while dishing out a team-high four assists and draining three three-pointers, also a team-best. Flannery also went 8-of-9 at the charity stripe. Sophomore guard Mason Lavergne (Baton Rouge, La.) scored 12 points and grabbed five boards, while sophomore forward Tim Barton (Waldorf, Md.) finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and a game-high four steals. Sophomore forward Aaron Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.) posted his first career double-double, ripping down a game-best 12 boards and chipped in with 10 points.
Merchant Marine 48.1 percent (25-for-52) from the field, 36.8 percent (7-for-19) from three-point range, and were solid at the free throw line, shooting 73.7 percent (14-for-19). USMMA held a 34-23 edge on the boards and outscored Pratt 32-26 in the paint.
Merchant Marine led 31-23 at halftime and pushed its advantage to double digits early in the second half, eventually building a lead as large as 14, 37-23 on a Lavergne layup at 17:33. The Cannoneers outscored the Mariners 29-19 over the next 13 minutes to trim the lead down to four, 56-52 on a Kurt Thomas layup with 4:47 remaining.
USMMA went on a 6-0 run to get their lead back to double digits, 62-52 on a Flannery three-pointer at 3:21. Pratt put on one more late push with an 11-3 run, cashing in on a three-point play to cut the deficit to two, 65-63 with 42 seconds remaining. Flannery would go 6-for-6 from the free throw line to help put the game away down the stretch, leading USMMA to a 71-66 victory.
Kurt Thomas led Pratt with 17 points, and Cameron Hatcher had 13 points. The Cannoneers shot 40.7 percent (24-for-59) from the floor and 32.3 percent (10-for-31) from beyond the arc.
Merchant Marine hits the hardwood again in the 2025 Hobart Basketball Tournament against Hobart on Friday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m. in Geneva, N.Y.
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