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THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (Jan. 21, 2010) – Junior Shamair Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) had a career-best and Maritime season-high 31 points to lead the Privateers to an exciting 73-68 win over first-place Old Westbury Thursday night at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium. With the win, Maritime improves to 9-4 overall (7-3 Skyline), while the Panthers fall to 11-5 (9-2 Skyline).

 

Williams scored 22 of his 31 points in the first half and finished the night shooting 13-for-19, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, with a 2-for-4 clip from the free throw line. The junior also recorded four boards and an assists, block and steal.

 

Two other players scored in double-figures for the Privateers, as senior Andre Cooper (Baltimore, Md./Southwestern) score 12 with six boards and six assists and junior Giovanni Hurley (Brooklyn, N.Y./Middle College High) scored 11 with four boards and two steals. Senior Adedokun Olanrewaju (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) was clutch, contributing a game-high 13 boards along with seven points and six assists. Junior Justin Bright (Brooklyn, N.Y./Park West) also registered seven points and six assists.

 

The game started pretty evenly balanced, as each teams swapped small, early leads. Maritime began to pull away at the end of the first half, when it closed out the period on a 15-4 run over the final 3:11. The Privateers took a 36-27 lead into the locker rooms.

 

Maritime came out strong in the second, starting the half on a 13-4 run to take its largest lead of the game, 18 points, at 49-31 at 15:06. The teams traded baskets until Maritime held a 17-point lead, 61-44, at 8:06.

 

Over the next 7:15 of play, Old Westbury went on a 20-5 run to come back within a basket with just 1:51 to play, 66-64. Scoring on jumpers by Bright and Williams and a pair of free throws made by Cooper, Maritime took a fairly safe 4-point lead, 72-68, with 15 seconds to play. Two missed layups by the Panthers gave Maritime the ball back and Old Westbury was forced to foul late, and then Olanrewaju went to the line and made one of his two free throws to end the scoring on the night, 73-68.

 

With the win, Maritime now has its best record (9-4, 7-3) this late in a season than in any of previous five seasons.

 

The Privateers return to action on the road against Skyline-foe Yeshiva, this coming Saturday night, January 23rd. Game time against the Maccabees is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.