HEFEI, China- Collin Stewart (Glenville, N.Y./Mekeel Christian Academy) knocked in six-three pointers and scored a game-high 22 points as the Monmouth men's basketball team beat the Anhui Wenyi Basketball Club, 106-95 at Hefei Arena Thursday. The Hawks conclude the basketball portion of the trip 3-1 with three straight victories to close it out.
“I'm very happy with our kids, we got out to a big lead and just really played well, shared the ball, played a lot better than we did yesterday on the defensive end, then we had to face some adversity because we let up a little bit, but then we were able to get it back under control,” said Head Coach King Rice. “I thought Je'lon [Hornbeak] and Austin [Tilghman] made some key plays, the team just got better on this trip and I'm very excited about this year.”
Stewart got hot early, putting home three of his triples in the first four minutes of the game. He hit from the wing after back-to-back baskets from Deon Jones (Wilmington, Del./Sanford School/Towson) and Je'lon Hornbeak (Arlington, Texas/Grace Prep/Oklahoma) to give Monmouth an early 8-5 lead before hitting two more to make it 14-10 at the 7:48 mark of the first quarter.
Justin Robinson (Lake Katrine, N.Y./Kingston) and Max DiLeo (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) combined to hit consecutive threes, with Robinson stroking his from in front of the Anhui Wenyi bench and DiLeo connecting from straight on, making the score 26-16 MU with 2:57 left in the opening quarter.
Monmouth went on an 8-0 run to go up 34-20 late in the first quarter, sparked by Greg Noack (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) powering from the baseline for a dunk. Chris Brady (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) posted his first points of the game after Noack forced a turnover at half court, and Noack put in an eight-footer on the next possession. Austin Tilghman (Wilmington, Del./Archbishop Carroll [Pa.]) capped the run with a driving layup.
Out of the first quarter stoppage, Jones scored a pair and Hornbeak hit a runner before Stewart netted one from the baseline to put the Hawks up 43-27.
Down the stretch to halftime, Brady caught and hammered a lob after scoring on the previous possession and Monmouth took a 60-43 lead into the break.
Robinson opened the second half with a drive for Monmouth that took him to the floor, then scored again on a stop-and-pop three from the right side coupled with a Josh James (Greenburgh, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) trifecta from the corner to put the Hawks up 70-53.
Consecutive Tilghman finishes and Stewart's fifth three-ball made it 82-71, but Anhui Wenyi nailed a three late in the third quarter to make it 82-74 heading to the final stanza.
Brady dunked one to start the fourth before Stewart drilled his sixth three. The home team answered with three, making the score 88-81 with 9:03 left.
Anhui Wenyi finished on a pair of baseline drives before Hornbeak stopped the push with an elbow jumper. Darnell Jackson buried a three from the left of the circle to cut Monmouth's lead to 90-88, but Hornbeak immediately responded again from the elbow to make it a four-point game.
Jones muscled up a reverse and Robinson sliced through the defense to put the MU lead to 99-90 with 3:35 left. Robinson then turned and nabbed a steal at half court, throwing no-look behind his back to DiLeo trailing who iced the game with an emphatic dunk.
Robinson would later hit a long two and Ba'shawn Mickens (Summit, N.J./Summit) scored late to make the final score 106-95, concluding a 3-1 China trip for Monmouth and ending the swing with three consecutive wins.
Unofficial statistics included Stewart scoring 22 on 8-15 from the floor and 6-11 from deep, while Brady registered a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Also in double-figures were Hornbeak and Robinson with 13 points and six rebounds each, while Tilghman posted 12 points and six boards and Jones added 12 and four on 5-8 FG. Zac Tillman (Yeadon, Pa./Shipley School) had six points and nine rebounds.
Darnell Jackson led Anhui Wenyi with 22 points and 11 boards in the loss.
The Hawks conclude the trip 3-1 with two wins over Anhui Wenyi and a victory over the Shanghai Sharks. For all coverage on the remainder of the time in China, follow @MonmouthBBall on Twitter or visit this link for all coverage: http://www.monmouthhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14300&ATCLID=210102893
Additional Rice Quotes
On the guard play: I knew we had really good guards and we have a lot of them. I thought Josh did great defensively, I thought Austin [Tilghman] played great the whole trip, I think Je'lon [Hornbeak] showed he's a shot maker and a timely shot maker. We already knows Deon [Jones] is one of the best guards in the league, you add Justin Robinson in there. We're going to have a lot of guards and be able to come after people a lot of different ways. Collin got started today hitting things and that really picks up our shooting. I really like the team that we're going to be able to work with this year.
On winning three games on the trip: You always want to win, I thought we won the three because of how we played. That first game, it was a long trip, and we played a lot better after that first game so the thing I liked is us getting together as a group and they kept getting tighter as the games went on. It's going to be a lot of fun because everybody is an unselfish kid on this team.
Collin Stewart
On his performance tonight: I shoot a lot and my teammates were finding me when I was open and they just started falling. We swing it and whoever is open, we just play it. These were good wins, we're 3-1 and hope it keep it rolling.
On the offensive performance: The 24-second shot clock really helps a lot and also the fact that were pushing the ball a lot more, were playing pretty good right now.
Justin Robinson
On the trip: It means a lot, the guys came a lot closer and we got a lot closer with the coaches as well. To come to another county with my second family and get three wins, it's huge.
On the offensive performances: Obviously the quarters are a little bit longer but we still have to put the ball in the bucket to get to 100 points, so the fact that we could share the ball well enough to get to 100 points and that everybody could score two nights in a row is a great feeling.
On playing with Je'lon Hornbeak: Je'lon is a great player, he makes my life a lot easier in the backcourt and he's so smart so I learn from him everyday
On guard play: Collin [Stewart] played huge, Austin [Tilghman] got a lot better, and the confidence is through the roof. Collin's confidence is still going up so as long as we keep working together everybody's going to be fine.
Unofficial statistics
James: 5 points, 2 rebounds
Mickens: 2 points
DiLeo: 5 points, 4 rebounds
Noack: 6 points, 3-4 FG
Jones: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5-8 FG
Hornbeak: 13 points, 6 rebounds
Robinson: 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Tilghman: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5-9 FG
Stewart: 22 points, 3 rebounds, 8-15 FG, 6-11 3PT
Tillman: 6 points, 9 rebounds, 3-5 FG
Brady: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 5-11 FG
