THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College men's basketball team welcomed first-place Farmingdale to Riesenberg Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.  In the first meeting between the teams since last season's Skyline Conference semifinals, the Privateers cut a 31-point deficit to 12 midway through the second half.  Maritime (9-6, 4-2 Skyline) would get no closer, though, as the Rams (14-1, 6-0 Skyline) earned their 10^th consecutive victory, 84-66.

Farmingdale scored the first 14 points of the game and had a 27-7 lead midway through the opening half.  The margin reached as many as 29 points in the opening 20 minutes and was 46-18 at halftime.  The Rams then sank a three-pointer on their first possession of the second half to build their largest cushion of the day, 49-18.

Maritime came storming back, though, going on a 28-9 run over the next nine minutes to cut its deficit to 12 points, 58-46.  After Farmingdale increased the margin back to 21 points at 70-49, the Privateers again countered, using a 9-2 run to pull within 72-58 with 3:49 remaining.  However, Farmingdale rallied for the next nine points to make it 81-58.  Maritime got late three-pointers from Chris Zaveckas (Merrick, NY) and Dylan Goodman (Syosset, NY) before a layup by Jack Baron (Bayport, NY) capped the scoring in an 84-66 defeat, the Privateers' first at home against a conference rival since a 62-60 loss to Merchant Marine on Feb. 12, 2022.  Maritime had won 11 straight at Riesenberg Gymnasium against Skyline foes. 

Jake Murphy (Rockville Centre, NY) finished with a game-high 21 points, all in the second half, to lead the Privateers.  Tyler Anderson (Smithtown, NY) added 11 points and five assists, while Jovan Germain (Brooklyn, NY) contributed eight points off the bench.  Aleksandar Begovic (Kotor, Montenegro) grabbed seven rebounds, and Amadou Kouyate (Harlem, NY) distributed three assists to go along with three steals.  James O'Connell (East Williston, NY) also had three assists.  Overall, the Privateers shot 40.9 percent (27-of-66) from the field, 31 percent (9-of-29) from long range, and 42.9 percent (3-of-7) at the free throw line.

For Farmingdale, Kentrell Evans recorded a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds.  Aaron Davis posted 17 points and four assists, and Nick Hurowitz tallied 16 points and seven boards.  Michael Notias notched 14 points off the bench for the Rams.  Corey Powell, meanwhile, collected 11 rebounds and handed out six assists.  As a team, Farmingdale shot 46.6 percent (34-of-73) from the floor, 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from downtown, and 75 percent (6-of-8) at the charity stripe.  The Rams outrebounded the Privateers 54-29, including a 17-5 edge on the offensive glass.

After playing two straight at home, Maritime now hits the road for back-to-back contests.  The Privateers begin the string by visiting St. Joseph's Brooklyn (4-11, 3-3 Skyline) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.