THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Basketball team kept Wednesday evening's contest with the Old Westbury Panthers close, but fell behind late as the Panthers emerged with the 79-65 victory inside Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium.
 
The Privateers had the game tied at 55 with 8:41 left in the second half, but cold shooting by Maritime allowed Old Westbury to jump ahead with a 14-3 run and eventually pick up the 14-point win.
 
Maritime was led by junior Brendon Halligan (Durham, N.Y./Cairo-Durham) with 17 points on the evening, while he also added a team-high three steals to go along with two assists. Sophomore John Liccese (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) and junior Isaiah Hayes (Jamaica, N.Y./Queens Teaching) both led the team with five assists each, while Liccese netted 14 points and Hayes ended the game with nine.
 
Sophomore Patrick MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius) finished the matchup with his eighth double-double of the season finishing with just enough points and rebounds with 10 apiece. Junior Tim Hoch (Coventry, R.I./Fishers Island (N.Y.)) had eight points, while the Privateers got a combined seven points off the bench from sophomore Akil Spruill (Queens, N.Y./Holy Cross) and freshmen Pat Conway (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) and Michael Walker (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point).
 
Old Westbury took the early two-point lead, but Liccese responded with a three-pointer to give the Privateers their first edge of the game. The lead exchanged hands on several occasions before the contest with tied at seven with 17:02 to go in the period as MacDonald went 2-for-2 from the line.
 
The Panthers took a two-possession lead, but Maritime answered right back with a pair at the charity stripe from Halligan before Hoch knocked down a three-pointer to put the Privateers back up by one at 12-11. Old Westbury took the lead up to 13 in the first half, but Maritime was able to close the gap to six with a Halligan layup.
 
The Panthers sank a shot with time winding down, and took a 38-30 advantage into the locker room.
 
In the second half, Old Westbury sank the first basket to take a 10-point lead once again but Hayes took the ball down court and slammed home an emphatic dunk to spark the Privateers. MacDonald picked up the defensive rebounds on the next Panther possession, and led to a mid-range Halligan jumper, followed by a Liccese three-pointer to reel the Privateers back within three at 40-37.
 
After another missed basket by the Panthers, Hoch missed a layup but got his own rebound and dished the ball to Halligan, who knocked down another clutch three-point basket to even the game at 40 with 17:16 to go in regulation. However, Old Westbury ballooned its lead back to nine at 54-45 after a three-point basket with 13:18 to go.
 
Halligan knocked down a three-pointer off a Liccese pass, then after getting the defensive board off another missed Panther shot, Halligan dialed it up from long range again to make the score 54-51 in favor of Old Westbury.
 
Down by two, it was Walker's turn to get in on the scoring with a layup to pull the Privateers within a field goal. Hayes got a key block on the defensive end, which led to a series of missed shots by both sides. On a Maritime possession after a Liccese defensive board, Conway tied the game at 55 with 8:41 to go.
 
Old Westbury then surged ahead with a 16-5 rally to take an 11-point lead once again with 3:07 left in the game. Hoch responded with a three-pointer off a Liccese pass to pull Maritime back within single-digits. The Panthers closed out the game on another strong run of 9-2 as Old Westbury pulled away late for the win.
 
Maritime (2-13, 2-8 Skyline) will conclude its three-game homestand with the St. Joseph's (LI) Golden Eagles on Friday evening at 6 p.m. from the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium. (PLEASE NOTE THE DATE AND TIME CHANGE).
 
Old Westbury (10-6, 9-2 Skyline) will travel to take on Yeshiva this Saturday with game time slated for 8:30 p.m. from the Max Stern Athletic Center.