Allegany holds off ’Jacks to sweep season series

WYE MILLS – The Trojans may not have piled up many wins this season, but they certainly seem to have Chesapeake College's number.

Allegany College of Maryland (6-15) completed a home-and-home sweep of the Skipjacks Monday night, riding a balanced offensive attack to a 98-93 men's basketball victory.  Ricky Mosley scored a team-high 21 points to lead five Trojans into double figures as the Skipjacks (12-9) lost their second straight.

"We did not play like we were capable of playing," said Chesapeake head coach Joel Dearring.  "We basically underachieved tonight."

Larry Terry (20 points), Garrett D'Atri (19), David Jones (15), and Davon Williams (11) all joined Mosley in double figures.  Allegany went 22-for-26 at the foul line, led by an 11-for-12 effort by  D'Atri that helped hold off the Skipjacks down the stretch.

Chesapeake, on the other hand, went 12-of-21 at the free-throw line.  The Skipjacks also allowed Allegany 20 offensive rebounds and gave up a myriad of easy layups when Chesapeake was pressing the Trojans.  Dearring, however, said his team will turn things around.

"Teams go through those periods where it seems like things aren't going the way you want them to go, but good teams come out of it," said Dearring.  "I know we're a good team and we're going to come out of it."

Akanni  Salako led Chesapeake with 20 points and also pulled down eight rebounds.  Chad Church (16 points, 10 rebounds), Dion Bivens (13 points), and Jimmie Jenkins (11 points, five assists) also reached double digits for the Skipjacks.

Allegany, which led throughout the first half, took its biggest lead at 41-30 as Terry capped a 7-1 Trojan run with his fourth 3-pointer of the half.  Chesapeake, however, closed the gap to 42-39 at the break with a 9-1 spurt built on 3-pointers by Church and Sam Ijeomah.  Church had 11 first-half points while Kevin Bonsu and Salako added seven each for the Skipjacks.

Chesapeake twice seized one-point leads in the second half, the second time on a Church free throw that made it 52-51.  Allegany answered with an 8-0 run that started with a basket interference call and included hoops from three different Trojans for a 59-52 cushion.

The Skipjacks spent the rest of the game playing catch-up.  Chesapeake twice pulled within two points, the last time when Bivens scored on a transition layup to narrow the deficit to 94-92 with 54 seconds remaining.  Allegany wrapped up the win as Mosley and Terry each hit a pair of free throws down the stretch.

The Skipjacks host Howard Community College Friday at 7 p.m. in a critical NJCAA Region XX Division II contest.

"We'll put on a better performance Friday," said Dearring.  "That's a big-money game.  We'll definitely be ready to play that game."

Notes:  Jenkins, Chesapeake's leading scorer, fouled out down the stretch while Bonsu picked up both his third and fourth fouls in the first minute of the second half.