JENKINTOWN, PA—Freshman guard Aaliyah Thurman (Philadelphia, PA/Lincoln) scored a season-high 20 points and sophomore guard Brittnay Smith (Philadelphia, PA/Pennsauken [NJ]) added a season-high 18 as Manor College (12-3 overall, 8-3 NJCAA Region XIX Division II) defeated Delaware Technical & Community College/Stanton-Wilmington (5-15, 2-9), 63-50.
The Blue Jays and Spirit exchanged leads multiple times in the first-half. Manor took a nine-point lead, 29-20, with 3:57 remaining on Smith's three-point basket off of one Thurman's team-leading and season-high eight assists. However, the Spirit made scored nine straight to finish the half. Spirit freshman center Khaja Hurst's layup off of a missed shot with approximately 0:13 seconds left tied the score at 29.
Delaware Technical & Community College/Stanton-Wilmington picked up where they left off, taking the lead on freshman guard Classie Graves' free throws to give the Spirt a 31-29 lead with 19:47 left in the game. The Spirit took its last lead, 36-35, with 17:16 left in the second half on freshman guard Kelly Rozenko's layup off of one of Graves' team-leading six assists. Manor took the lead for good, 37-36, with 16:32 remaining on a sophomore center Mohargany Jones (Durham, NC/Northern Durham) layup off of her own miss. The Spirit got as close as three points twice (42-39, 11:26 on a Rozenko jump shot; 46-43, 9:22 on a freshman guard Hanna Strengari layup). Thurman's jumper with 2:58 remaining gave the Blue Jays its largest lead, 61-48. Her free throws with 0:33.7 left closed out the scoring. The Blue Jays finished the game on an 8-2 run in the final 4:33 of the game.
Manor sophomore forward Sierra Wilkinson (Philadelphia, PA/Friere Charter) led both teams with a dozen rebounds. This was her third double-figured rebounding game of the season. Thurman also led the team with four steals. She has scored in double-figures six times. The Spirit scoring was led by Graves and Rozenko with 17 apiece. Hurst added 15 points and 11 rebounds.
The Blue Jays have won five straight at home and are 7-1 in Jenkintown this season. They travel to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania to play the Harcum Bears (9-9, 4-4) 5:00 p.m. Thursday, January 22. Manor's next home game is 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 3 against the Burlington County College Barons.