By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
November 7, 2017
JENKINTOWN, PA—Manor College (2-0 Overall) freshman guard Dana Strothers (Pittsburgh, PA/Obama Academy) came off the bench to score 27 points as they defeated the visiting Division III Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Bulldogs (0-3), 120-90.
Strothers' reverse layup gave Manor an early 13-8 lead with 14:49 left in the opening half. Thaddeus Stevens responded by scoring eight straight points over the next 1:21. This run was finished off by freshman guard Davian Perez-Silva's fall-away jump shot with 13:27 remaining. Perez-Silva's layup with 12:20 left gave the Bulldogs its second three-point lead of the game (18-15). Perez-Silva's free throw with 11:09 remaining gave Thaddeus Stevens its final lead of the game (21-20). Manor took the lead for good on the next play on Strothers' slam dunk off of a Thaddeus Stevens turnover on an inbound pass with 11:02 left. The closest the Bulldogs got to the Blue Jays with 10:05 remaining in the first half was two points (25-23) on freshman forward Wali-Shahad Sabree's layup and free throw. Manor answered and went on a 15-2 run over the next 3:11 and opened up a 15-point advantage (40-25). Freshman guard Isaiah's Wiggins (Pocono Mountain, PA/Pocono Mountain West) layup, with an assist by sophomore guard Keithantonio Davis (Sicklerville, NJ/Eastern) completed the run with 6:54 left. Thaddeus Stevens got within 10 points (40-30) with 6:09 remaining on freshman guard Mason Bossert's layup and free throw. Manor responded by maintaining a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. The Blue Jays took its largest lead (19) three times (62-43, 64-45, and 66-47) for the remainder of the half. Manor led at halftime, 66-49. This is the most first-half points scored by Blue Jays since December 6, 2016 (58 at Middlesex County College).
The Blue Jays opened up its first 20-point lead of the game (74-53) on freshman guard Amir Hill's (Philadelphia, PA/Parkway) basket, with another assist by Davis with 17:07 left in the second half. The closest the Bulldogs got for the remainder of the half was 15 (76-61) with 15:27 remaining on freshman guard Edwin Perez' three-point basket. Manor answered again, scoring eight straight over the next 3:02 and increased its margin 23 points (84-61). Wiggins' free throws with 12:25 left completed the run. The Blue Jays finished off the game with a 15-4 run over the final 6:15 of the game and held the Bulldogs without a field goal made during that span. Manor took its largest lead of the contest on its final basket of the night on Hill's jump shot off of his own miss with 0:46 remaining in the game. The Blue Jays outscored the Bulldogs, 54-41, in the second half en route to the 120-90 win. This is the most second-half points by Manor since February 23, 2017 (54 versus Delaware Technical Community College Stanton).
Individual Statistical Leaders: Strothers was 12 for 14 from the field. Freshman forward Anthony Thomas (Chester, PA/Chester) led both benches with 23 points, nine rebounds, and two blocked shots. He was 10 for 13 from the field and added three steals. Hill scored 21 and Wiggins contributed 13 points. Freshman forward Javon Flynn (Philadelphia, PA/Bartram) led both teams with 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Christian Wright (Baltimore, MD/Woodlawn) paced the Blue Jays with five assists and shared the team lead with Thomas with three steals.
Offensively, Manor shot 67.1% from the field and outrebounded Thaddeus Stevens 53 to 42. The Blue Jays also forced 24 turnovers.
Bossert paced both teams with 28 points and freshman guard Marqel Wansley added 21 points and four steals for the Bulldogs. Sabree contributed 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Davian Perez-Silva scored 11 and registered six assists of the bench. Edwin Perez scored 10 off the bench.
100-Points Notes (since 1994-1995, but, the 2001-2002 season is unavailable): This is the 51st time overall (40th at home) the Blue Jays have scored 100 or more points in a game and the 19th (14th at home) since they joined the NJCAA for the 2008-2009 season. Manor's 120 points are the most scored since joining the NJCAA and tied for second overall since statistics were kept (135 versus Reading Area Community College on January 31, 1995). This was also the second highest points scored at home since statistics were kept. The Blue Jays last scored 120 or more points in a game was on January 21, 1998 at Thaddeus Stevens (120-112).
Series Record (since 1994-1995, but, the 2001-2002 season is unavailable): Manor College improved its series record to 19-7 overall and 12-3 at home versus Thaddeus Stevens. The Blue Jays have won six straight matchups overall and five home contests against the Bulldogs. The two schools previously met on January 23, 2008 (Manor 81-66 home victory).
Next Game: Manor hosts Region XIX Division III Camden County College 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 9. The Cougars lead the season series 1-0. Camden County won the inaugural meeting, 62-60, on February 4, 2016 in Blackwood, New Jersey.