By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
December 16, 2017
JENKINTOWN, PA—Manor College (11-3 Overall, 6-0 Region XIX Division II) freshman guard/forward Amir Hill (Philadelphia, PA/Parkway) led both teams with 28 points as the Blue Jays defeated the Essex County College Wolverines (1-7, 1-7), 108-48.
Manor led from the opening tap and scored the first nine points of the game before Essex County freshman forward Hans Adolphe sank a jump shot with 17:27 left in the first half. The Blue Jays opened up a double-digit lead (14-4) with 16:15 remaining on freshman guard Isaiah Wiggins' (Pocono Mountain, PA/Pocono Mountain West) layup off of a missed shot. His basket began a 15-0 run over the next 3:32 and Manor expanded its lead to 27-4. Freshman guard Dana Strothers' (Pittsburgh, PA/Obama Academy) free throws finished off the run with 12:43 remaining. After Essex County freshman guard Hassan Bouchet made a jump shot with 10:54 left, the Blue Jays scored 10 consecutive points over the next 1:37, and expanded its advantage to 37-8. Hill's dunk with 9:04 remaining completed the run. His three-point basket with 8:52 left gave Manor its first 30-point lead of the game (40-10). The Blue Jays finished off the final 3:38 on a 12-2 run, including the last seven points of the half. Freshman guard Christian Wright (Baltimore, MD/Woodlawn) scored nine of the points during this run. Hill's free throw with 0:21.5 remaining gave Manor its largest lead of the half (61-23). The Blue Jays led at halftime, 61-23. Manor's 61 first-half points are the most in any half since they scored 66 in the first half versus Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology on November 7, 2016.
Hill's hook shot with 17:30 left gave the Blue Jays its first 40-point lead of the game (67-26). His jump shot with 16:30 remaining began a 13-2 run over the next 3:26 and expanded its lead to 51 points (81-30). Strothers' jump shot with 13:04 remaining finished the run. Manor maintained a 50-point-plus edge for the remaining 8:48 of the game. Freshman guard Yaseer McKeithan's (Ardmore, PA/Lower Merion) free throw with 4:10 left put the Blue Jays over the century mark in points. McKeithan's three-point basket, with an assist by sophomore forward Antonio Wills (Newark, NJ/Newark), gave Manor its largest lead of the contest (106-46) with 1:21 remaining. The Blue Jays outscored the Wolverines, 47-28, in the second half en route to 108-48 victory. The 60-point overall and home victory is the largest since the Blue Jays joined the NJCAA for the 2008-2009 season. Manor defeated Delaware Technical and Community College-Stanton/Wilmington, 110-68 (42 points), at home on January 20, 2015.
Individual Statistical Leaders: Six Blue Jays scored in double-figures. Wiggins contributed a "double-double" with 15 points and led both teams with 10 steals. Freshman forward Anthony Thomas (Chester, PA/Chester) also added 15 points and led both teams with three blocked shots. Freshman Ahrod Carter (Chester, PA/Chester) also scored 15 and paced both squads with seven assists coming off the bench. Strothers came off the bench and added 13 points. Wright contributed 11 points. Freshman forward Carl Benbow (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) led both teams with nine rebounds.
Manor shot 54.5% from the field, including a season-best 73.3% (11 out of 15) from the three-point line. The Blue Jays outrebounded the Wolverines, 42 to 27. Manor registered a season-high 22 steals and also forced 31 Essex County turnovers.
Three Wolverines scored in double-figures. Freshman forward Alberson Jean Baptiste led Essex County with 14 points and shared the team lead with fellow freshman forward Waynon Brown with seven rebounds. Bouchet scored 11 points and Brown added 10.
100-Points Notes (since 1994-1995, but, the 2001-2002 season is unavailable): This is the fourth time this season and the 54th time overall (41st at home) the Blue Jays have scored 100 or more points in a game and the 22nd (15th at home) since they joined the NJCAA for the 2008-2009 season. The 108 points scored versus Essex County is the most in its series history. Manor scored 101 points on the road versus the Wolverines on January 13, 2013. Manor has scored 100 six times under second-year head coach Diallo Daniels.
Series Record: The Wolverines lead the season series 16-5 overall, but, the Blue Jays won consecutive meetings for the first time in series history. Manor is 5-6 at home versus Essex County, including four straight victories.
Next Game: Manor hosts Raritan Valley Community College (6-2 Overall, 3-1 Region XIX Division II) 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 19. The Lions lead the season series 11-9 overall and won two of the previous three games. Manor is 5-5 at home versus Raritan Valley Community College. The Lions won two of the three matchups during the 2016-2017 season. The Blue Jays won at home, 63-61, on February 4, 2017. Manor lost on the road, 94-76, on November 10, 2016 and at home, 85-68, on March 4, 2017 in the NJCAA Region XIX Division II Postseason Tournament First Round.