Lynn, MA - The Men's Basketball team are off to a 2-1 start after they handed Pine Manor their second straight loss, defeating the Gators 69-61 on Tuesday evening. The Falcons starting five were dominant for the home team, scoring all but six of the Falcons 69 points in the win. Four Falcons scored in double figures, while Paul Oha Jr. (Antioch, CA) finished with his first double-double in a Falcons uniform. The senior scored 11 points and secured 11 boards, helping his team to second straight win.
Fisher did not trail from the start, building their largest lead of 14 in the first half when they pulled ahead 25-11 capped by a Darnell White (Santa Cruz, CA) three-pointer. The Gators responded with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes to pull within seven, and outscored the Falcons 16-10 over the last ten minutes as the two teams would head to halftime with FC up 35-27. Senior Jhalen Lumpkins (Sacramento, CA) led the attack in the first half, scoring nine points and nabbing five boards.
The Gators looked to continue where they left off before the break as the visitors got within four at 44-40 with 13:18 on the clock, but the Falcons responded with a key 10-0 run over the next five minutes that ultimately proved to be the difference in the contest. Pine Manor again got the game to within four with 2:05 remaining, but the Falcons hung on, hitting five clutch free throws over the last stretch to clinch the 69-61 victory.
Malik Seldon (Los Angeles, CA) led all scorers with a season high 18-point performance to go along with nine boards. Lumpkins finished the game with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Jason Augliera (Discovery Bay, CA) was the fourth Falcon to tally double digits as he contributed with 11 points and three steals. Jalen Williams and Jamel Hamans led the way for the Gators as they combined for 27 points in the losing effort. The Falcons overcame an 18% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, as they were 40% shooting in two-point range, while holding the Gators to 36%.
The Falcons will look for their third straight win as they travel to Western Connecticut this weekend for the Colonial Classic Tournament. The Falcons square off against the Colonials on Saturday at 3pm. Catch the game live by clicking here.