The MU Ancilla Chargers came in to Saturday's home game needing a home win to break a 3-game losing streak and to jump back in to the MCCAA playoff race and that is exactly what they got, taking a 76-64 win over the Glen Oaks Vikings. The Chargers rode incredible 3-point shooting all game long, ending up 14-26 from the 3-point line for a season-best 53.8% and 28-58 for 48% overall from the field. The hot shooting came at a great time as shooting woes have been a big contributor to their recent 3-game losing streak.
It was Glen Oaks who had the hot hand early and also had their defense working as they led through most of the first half. Neither team could break away in a back-and-forth half which ended with Glen Oaks leading by the score of 37-33. MU Ancilla came out of the locker room knowing a huge second half was needed in order to come out on top and also remain in the playoff race. The Chargers rode their hot shooting and played stifling defense, holding the Vikings to just 27 points in the 2nd half.
MU Ancilla was able to pull away late, winning the 2nd half by a score of 43-27 which led to a 76-64 win.
Head Coach Jeremy Herring was very happy to see his guys knock down shots. "We have the guys with ability to make shots but over the course of a long season, there will be some highs and lows. For us, we needed this kind of shooting night to get our confidence back as we head down the stretch with just four games remaining. Coach Cramer and I have told the guys that now is the time to do whatever it takes to get a win. If that means we 2-2-1 press, that is what we will do. If that means we have a shorter rotation, that is what we will have to do. For today, we responded in a positive way and secured a big win. We know there is much more work to be done and we will quickly turn our attention to Lansing CC as that game becomes even more important than today's game."
The Chargers had amazing balance on offense with five players in double figures followed by one with 9 points. KeAndre Nelson led the way with 16 points which included 4-8 from the 3-point line. Jo Coleman finished with 15 points on 3-6 from 3-point range, followed by Willie Reece with 12. Ben Jones and Maurice Russell each added 10 points. Jones added 8 rebounds while Russell led the team with 6 assists.
With the win, MU Ancilla moves to 11-9 and 3-5 in the MCCAA Western Conference. They will return to action on Wednesday, February 15th when they travel to Lansing CC for a 7:30 tip-off.
