The Mohawk Valley Men's basketball team took on Adirondack Community College in a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Timberwolves. The #14 Hawks had a great 2 days of practice following a difficult Tuesday afternoon defeat, and were eager to get back on the court against a talented Adirondack team, according to Coach Harley Fuller, as he stated prior to the game on Saturday.
The Hawks came out of the gate with a burst of energy and took a commanding 42-27 lead into halftime over a pesky ADK team. Defense proved to be the catalyst early for the surging Hawks, as they were able to cause 15 turnovers in the first half in route to their 15 points lead.
As the second half began, it was evident that the Hawks ball pressure would continue to be important as they worked toward the victory. Sophomore wings Lateef Johnson and Isaiah Earl continued their impressive play as highlight reel dunks and blocks became a regular occurence midway through the second half. The Hawks eventually pulled away, winning the second half as well, but by 8 points this time around.
Lateef Johnson was the top scorer for the green and white as he chipped in a 20 point, 11 rebound performance. Jalen Bradberry turned in a well rounded performance with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. His counterpart, Tyruse Boock added 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, and the Hawks were also complimented nicely by the high flying Isaiah Earl who turned in an efficient 10 points, 5 rebound, 2 block performance to round out the double figure scoring. The Hawks won by a final score of 79-56, over the visiting Timberwolves.
"I thought ball pressure and sharing the basketball was really key for us in this game. When we are able to get out in transition and utilize our weapons by sharing the ball and playing with pace, we can be a really special group. 17 assists and 5 turnovers is really what we want to see game in and game out. If we can live around the 20 assist mark, we will continue to see positive things happen. It's no secret that we have been dealing with a number of injuries in this first semester, and the fact that we have enough mental toughness and connectivity to continue to trust each other, is really encouraging. We are truly getting contributions across the board." Coach Fuller said after the Hawks victory.