New Rochelle, N.Y. (November 29, 2021) – The Monroe Express JV men's basketball team held off a late second-half rally to edge OSL Prep, 78-74, on Monday evening at home at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Express continue to remain perfect on the season at 3-0 overall.
Five Express players finished the evening in double figures as freshman Chamarri Baskerville (Queens, New York) put up a double-double with a team-high 18 points and a game-best 17 rebounds and six assists. Classmate Audley Falconer (Bronx, New York) dropped 14 points in the contest, while Leshawn Bryant (Brooklyn, New York), Darius Rivers (Bronx, New York), and Jordan Wilson (Peekskill, New York) chipped in with 11 points each. Bryant also led the defensive effort with a team-high three steals on the night.
OSL Prep got off to a quick start recording six of the game's first eight points while holding the Express scoreless for the first 3:32 of the opening half. Monroe-Bronx would respond with a 10-4 run taking their first lead by one, 9-8 at 14:34 on a Baskerville layup, and by two, 12-10 at 13:38 on a Bryant three-pointer. After the Falcons scored seven of the following 11 points, the Express would outscore them 30-18 down the stretch to lead by nine, 44-35, going into halftime.
The Express came out firing in the second half out, scoring OSL Prep 21-11 over the first eight and a half minutes, building their lead to their biggest of the evening, 19, 65-46 on a Falconer tip-in at 11:31. However, the Falcons would not go away, outscoring the Express 28-12 to get the deficit down to three, 77-74, with 12 seconds left on a Steven Polanco three-pointer. Baskerville would extend the lead to four, 78-74 going one for two at the charity stripe, and after Yair Aburus couldn't convert a three-pointer with six seconds left, the Express were able to hold on to stay undefeated on the season.
Four players scored in double figures for OSL Prep, led by Keysean Maynard, who dropped a game-high 20 points and dished out a team-best four assists. Steven Polanco scored 16 points, and Yair Aburus scored 15 points, while Chioke Marshall posted a double-double, grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds and registering 11 points.
The Express JV men's basketball team will look to remain perfect on the 2021-22 campaign on Saturday, December 5, against Bryant & Stratton College at 5 p.m. at the Monroe Athletic Complex. For more information, visit the Monroe Express JV Men's Basketball Page.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress), and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).
