WARREN, Mich. – The fifth-ranked Macomb Men's Basketball team jumped out to a 12-0 lead and never looked back in a 107-50 wire-to-wire win over the visiting Ocelots of Schoolcraft College to open MCCAA Eastern Conference play Saturday (Jan. 14) afternoon. With the win, the Monarchs' record improves to 13-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Schoolcraft ended the day at 2-10 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
The 57-point victory lifts the Monarchs to 3-0 against Schoolcraft under second-year head coach
Hassan Nizam. Under Nizam's guidance, the Monarchs have outscored the Ocelots 320-183 over the course of the three meetings, winning by an average of 45 points while netting over 100 points in each game.
The Monarchs led 53-27 at the half and eventually earned the 107-50 win behind a balanced effort that saw six players reach double figures scoring in a game where every player recorded double-digit minutes.
Attacking the basket early and often, the Monarchs shot 63.8% (44-of-69) overall and outscored the Ocelots 62-12 in the paint. The Monarchs assisted on 31 of their 44 made baskets while the bench outscored the Ocelots reserves by a 58-23 tally.
Tamario Adley (Detroit, Mich./De La Salle) led all scorers with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting (4-of-4 3PM) and added four assists in 25 minutes played.
Kareem Aburashed (West Bloomfield, Mich./Country Day) and
Kyle Millender (Detroit, Mich./DEPSA) each posted a career-high 16 points with Aburashed shooting 8-of-9 from the floor and Millender going 6-of-7 (4-of-5 3PM).
Millender also added a team-high six assists to go along with five rebounds to round out his best game in a Monarch uniform. Aburashed hauled in a team-high-tying seven rebounds to accompany his 16-point effort.
Cameron McEvans (Southfield, Mich./Southfield A&T) chipped in with 14 points, making all three of his 3-point attempts, and added three assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes.
Aidan Rubio (Flint, Mich./Goodrich/DME Academy) checked in with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while
Linden Holder (Warren, Mich./De La Salle) rounded out six Monarchs in double digits with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Holder also dished out three assists in 17 minutes played.
Shawn Brown (Oak Park, Mich./Oak Park) and
Tymias Williams (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) added seven points each and
Tom McNelis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser) posted six rebounds and five assists in 18 minutes of action.
On Wednesday (Jan. 18), the No. 5 Monarchs will welcome in the No. 6 Henry Ford College Hawks for a top-10 showdown. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Sports & Expo Center.
