THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The 2016-17 season came to a close for the Maritime basketball team as the Privateers fell at home to the Sage Gators on Saturday afternoon by the score of 94-76. During the game junior John Liccese (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) had 21 points, including the 1,000th of his career on a layup after a steal in the second half of play.
 
With his 1,000th point, Liccese joins classmate Patrick MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius), who accomplished the feat just one week ago. Liccese becomes the 14th player in recorded program history to reach the millennium mark, and will head into his senior season with 1,002 points under his belt. The junior finished the season with a career-best 40.9% from the field and averaged a career-best 16.6 points per game in his 20 appearances this season.
 
In addition to Liccese's success on the court, MacDonald led the Privateers with 27 points and was second on the team with 11 rebounds. His point total gave him 505 for the season as he became just the second player in recorded program history to net at least 500 points in a season. His rebounding total added to his program record offensive, defensive and total rebounds during the 2016-17 campaign. The double-double was the 18th of his season and 34th of his career.
 
Prior to the matchup the team honored the four members of their senior class as Bobby Parlow (Bay Head, N.J./Point Pleasant Beach), Liam Ryan (Buffalo, N.Y./Nichols), Brendon Halligan (Durham, N.Y./Cairo-Durham) and Tim Hoch (Coventry, R.I./Fishers Island (N.Y.)) were all recognized with a brief on-court ceremony. Ryan, Halligan and Hoch all started, while Parlow was sidelined due to injury.
 
Hoch had a career afternoon with 11 points and 15 rebounds for the first double-double of his three-year tenure with the team; with his 15 rebounds being a career-best. Hoch capped off his season with one three-pointer on the afternoon, as he set the single-season record with 74 three-balls on the season.
 
While Hoch capped off the single-season record, Halligan put a bow on his career with one three-pointer as well to give him 173 for his career as he wraps up his four seasons as the all-time leader in three-point baskets. Halligan finished his career with 780 career points as he had at least 179 points in all four of his seasons including 180 as a senior.
 
Ryan closed out his career with his first three-pointer in over two seasons with his last coming on November 21, 2015 in the team's win over Alfred State. Ryan also had two defensive rebounds, one assist, one block and a pair of steals to close out his career as he played 21 minutes on the court while getting the start.
 
The Privateers kept with the North Division-leading Sage Gators through the first half and held a 46-43 lead at halftime. In the first half, Liccese led the way with 17 points and four assists, while MacDonald had 14 points and eight rebounds. Hoch set his career-best through the first half as he had a team-high nine rebounds and added seven points in the opening stanza.
 
As play progressed into the second half, Maritime held a 50-49 lead as the Gators sank a basket with just four minutes gone by. A three-pointer by Sage, gave the road team a 52-50 lead that it did not relinquish through the remainder of the contest.
 
After a breather on the bench, Liccese returned to the floor with 13:05 remaining in the half. As Maritime was inbounding the ball was turned over, but Liccese stole the ball right back and scooped in the layup for the 999th and 1,000th points of his career. The layup also pulled the Privateers back within six at 63-57 with 12:54 to go in regulation.
 
The Gators got the lead to as many as 18 on several occasions through the remainder of the contest and closed out the game by the same margin as Sage came away with the 94-76 victory.
 
In addition to the leading scorers, junior Tim McQuail (Middle Village, N.Y./Cathedral Prep) closed out his season with five points and five rebounds while freshman Brendan McGovern (Seaford, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) knocked down a three-pointer on the game and had one assist. Junior Akil Spruill (Queens, N.Y./Holy Cross) picked up a defensive rebound and one assist, while rookie Malik Clark (Central Islip, N.Y./Central Islip) tallied one point and one helper as well. Junior Josh Raime (Elmont, N.Y./Holy Cross) and sophomore James Bonner (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) also got minutes late in the contest.
 
Maritime closes out its season with a 10-15 overall record while tallying a 5-11 mark in Skyline Conference games. The team will look forward to the 2017-18 season as the league will return to double-round robin format as Sage leaves the Skyline Conference for the Empire 8 in 2017-18.
 
The last-ever Skyline Conference game for the Gators will go down as a win as Sage finishes up with a 12-4 mark in league games and a 16-9 record overall. The Gators will enter the Skyline Conference Championship as the second seed, and will receive a first round bye into the league semifinals.