The NJCCA's DII 17th ranked Lakeland Lakers played host to the Schoolcraft Ocelots tonight in Region XII play. After a competitive first half, the Lakers turned it up a notch and pulled away for a convincing 90-73 victory. With the win, the Lakers improved their record to 6-0. The first half was fairly close for much of the period, though the Lakers were in control. Lakeland's defensive effort was pretty good and they were able to score at will as they finished with a 44-39 lead at the break. The Lakers, as they have all season, continued to have a balanced scoring effort. Jareon Mayo led the way with 12 points which included a pair of 3-pointers. PJ Daniels added 8 points and a pair of 3-pointers of his own. Alex Benson, Adam Williams, and Nate Houston each scored 6 points before the break. In the second half, Lakeland would continue to take advantage of their depth. Coach Eskridge and Coach Mracic continued a rotation which allowed the Lakers to turn up the defensive intensity while continuing to spread the offensive flow. All Lakeland players were involved in the win as the bench helped create an intensity for the team to rally around and help spark the win.
In total, 11 different players would score for Lakeland. Jareon Mayo finished with 19 points while Justin Covington had a strong second half to finish with 14 points. PJ Daniels added 11 points while Nate Houston chipped in 9 points. Alex Benson and Adam Williams each finished with 8 points while Ben Hamilton finished his afternoon with 7 points in the Lakers win.
T's Talk: "Our defense was solid tonight. The bench also came in and gave us a real spark - some much needed energy. It was a total team effort. We've got a few days to get ready for our next game against Jamestown - it's always tough to beat a good team twice in the same season. We'll keep working and look to come out hard. We really appreciate the home crowd again tonight. Their energy is important in helping us play. We hope that they come out again in force next week."
Next Up: The Lakers will play host to the Jamestown Jayhawks on Tuesday, November 28th at 7:30 pm. The Lakers beat the Jayhawks at Jamestown in the season opener. The Lakers are proud to work with the Veterans Center in hosting Military Appreciation Night on that Tuesday night.
