BROOKLYN, NY – For the second time in as many games to start the 2023-24 season, the Maritime College men's basketball team used a big second half to pull away for an easy win at Medgar Evers on Tuesday night.  The Privateers (2-0) trailed 27-26 with 3:48 remaining in the first half before outscoring the Cougars (1-3) 67-36 the rest of the way for a 93-63 triumph at the Cougars Cave.  The 30-point margin of victory was Maritime's largest in 10 years.

After a three-pointer by Jovan Germain (Brooklyn, NY) gave the Privateers a 19-13 lead at the 7:56 mark of the first half, Medgar Evers went on an 8-0 run to go ahead, 21-19.  Maritime again opened up a five-point cushion, 26-21, before the Cougars scored the next six to pull back in front, 27-26.  However, Theo Noble (Bronx, NY) hit a free throw on the other end to tie the game and start a 15-1 Maritime rally.  Tyler Anderson's (Smithtown, NY) dunk closed out the half, as the Privateers took a 41-28 advantage into the locker room.

Maritime continued its offensive onslaught in the second half.  The margin reached 21 points when an Aleksandar Begovic (Kotor, Montenegro) dunk made it 56-35 with 14:58 left, and a Chris Zaveckas (Merrick, NY) trey extended the lead to 81-50 with 7:23 remaining.  Jack Baron's (Bayport, NY) layup at the 5:46 mark gave the Privateers their biggest advantage of the night, 87-50, and he closed out the 93-63 victory, Maritime's biggest win since an 82-52 triumph over Sarah Lawrence on Nov. 15, 2013.

Thirteen different Privateers scored in the game, led by Germain's career-best 22 points.  He finished 7-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point land in the contest.  Anderson tallied 13 points, and he added six assists, two blocks and two steals.  Jake Murphy (Rockville Centre, NY) registered 11 points, while Begovic contributed 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds.  Noble and Evan Block (Seaford, NY) each pulled down six boards, as Maritime held a 51-30 edge on the glass.  As a team, the Privateers shot 47.9 percent (34-of-71) from the field, 30 percent (9-of-30) from downtown, and 84.2 percent (16-of-19) at the charity stripe.

Nicholas Guillen paced the Cougars with 17 points.  Derek Wicker contributed 12 points off the bench, while Adrian Budhu grabbed five rebounds.  Dante Simmons had four assists and two blocks for Medgar Evers, which shot 33.9 percent (20-of-59) from the floor as a team.  The Cougars were 8-for-21 (38.1 percent) from long range and 15-for-21 (71.4 percent) at the free throw line.

The Privateers, who are 2-0 for the second straight season, have a week off before returning to action.  Maritime visits York (0-1) next Tuesday at 7 p.m.