NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 9, 2023 – In a challenging battle against the Omnia Basketball Academy from Finland, the Monroe College Mustangs JV men's basketball team earned a hard-fought victory Monday evening by a score of 66-58 at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs improve to 8-3 overall with the win.
The Mustangs struggled early with the height of Omnia, allowing the European visitors to take a 14-8 lead through the first 10 minutes. The Mustangs then found their rhythm, scoring the next five points, capped off by a three from
Jaheim Gregory, to tie the game. Luol Machol put Omnia back up by two, but Monroe scored the next six to take a 20-16 edge. The Mustangs later scored another six straight to take a 26-19 lead with 4:17 left in the half.
Omnia responded with six of its own to make it a one-point contest.
Ebrihima Dibasey took advantage of a steal to slam it home on a fast break and put the Mustangs back up by three, but Elijah Thrash scored the final two points of the half for Omnia to send the game to the break with Monroe ahead, 28-27.
Prince-Malachi Reid led Monroe with eight points through 20 minutes. Gregory followed with six points and matched Dibasey for a team-high three rebounds.
Davion Bonar had three steals in the half.
The Mustangs held a 34-30 lead early in the second half before Omnia' Abdullah Amzil caught fire, making three long balls as part of a 9-2 run to put the visitors ahead, 39-36. Trailing by three, the Mustangs turned things around with nine straight points to go back on top, 47-41. A push by Omnia was halted when
Kofi Mends drained a three to push Monroe's lead back to seven points. Elijah Thrash hit a three for Omnia to get within four, but Reid sank another from beyond the arc to make it a 61-54 game with 2:42 on the clock. Omnia cut the deficit down to three, but a layup by
Richie Guillaume and a clutch three by Bonar put the Mustangs back up by eight with just 52 seconds left, locking down on defense for the final minute to pick up the 66-58 victory.
Reid led all scorers with 21 points in the game on 8-of-16 shooting from the field. Guillaume was next with 13 points in the win. Gregory totaled eight points and a team-high eight rebounds. Mends added nine points, five boards and a team-best four assists. Bonar contributed six points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists.
The Mustangs are back on the road on Thursday, Jan. 12, to take on Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pa. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 11 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at
www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (
Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
