KINGS POINT, N.Y. — The Pratt Institute men's basketball team made a late push but saw their two-game streak snapped with a 71-66 road loss to the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Wednesday night at Liebertz Gymnasium.
Pratt (2-2) trailed by 14 early in the second half before storming back behind timely shooting and defensive pressure. The gold-and-black cut the deficit to 65-63 inside the final minute and had two possessions to tie or take the lead, but USMMA answered with free throws to hold on.
First-year Kurt Thomas (Dallas, Texas) netted a team- and career-high 17 points in a reserve role, with four rebounds and two steals. Senior Sebastian Roda (Greenwich, Conn.) scored a season-high 14 points, all in the second half, including three 3-pointers and a late steal that triggered Pratt's closing run. Senior Cameron Hatcher (Cincinnati, Ohio) followed with 13 points and three 3-pointers..
After a slow offensive start, Pratt stayed within reach thanks to early energy inside from Kerem Ozdemir (Union, N.J.), who scored the team's first four points and blocked two shots in the opening five minutes. A 3-pointer from Thomas and a deep make from Elijah Fermaint (Orlando, Fla.) helped trim the first-half margin to 24-22 with 3:12 left before the Mariners closed the half ahead 31-23.
USMMA (1-1) opened the second half with a 14-4 burst to take a 45-29 lead at 17:33, its largest of the night. Pratt responded quickly. Roda converted a layup, then buried a transition three off a Fermaint assist. Moments later, Thomas scored through contact and Hatcher added a finish inside as Pratt rattled off a 17-8 stretch to stay within 53-46 at the 10-minute mark.
The Cannoneers kept coming. Hatcher's corner 3 with 7:11 left made it 54-45, and back-to-back baskets from Thomas and Roda pulled Pratt to within 62-58 with 2:18 to play. After a defensive stop, Roda drilled two free throws, and Thomas scored in transition to make it 65-63 at 1:02.
USMMA answered with a strong drive from Aaron Zalescik and six straight free throws from Jack Flannery, who finished with a game-high 25 points. Pratt extended the game, and Fermaint hit a tough three with 10 seconds left to make it 69-66, but the Mariners closed it with two more at the line.
Fermaint finished with eight points, six assists and three steals in 35 minutes. Ozdemir chipped in six points, three boards and three blocks in his eight-minute burst, while Efe Tuydes (Bursa, Turkey) added a three-pointer off the bench.
USMMA was led by Flannery's 25 points and five rebounds, while Mason Lavergne added 12 points and Tim Barton scored 11 with four steals.
Pratt returns home to the Activity Resource Center on Saturday, Nov. 22, hosting St. Joseph's-Long Island at 2 p.m. – the first doubleheader of the season following the women hosting Berkeley College at noon.
