All Five Starters Reach Double Figures as Eagles Jettison Blue Jays

Elizabethtown, Pa.- A big second half helped the Juniata men's basketball team win on the road at Elizabethtown, 75-48, Thursday evening at Thompson Gymnasium.

Marcus Lee (Carrolltown, Pa./Bishop Carroll) tallied 19 points, four rebounds and four assists, Damon Rickens (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) totaled 13 points, six rebounds and three assists while Seth Brewer (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) had 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Wil Peralta (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) tallied 12 points and five rebounds while Brandon Martinazzi (Cresson, Pa./Bishop Carroll) had 12 points, three assists and two steals. Paul Martello (York, Pa./York Catholic) added six points and four assists off the bench.

Peralta and Martinazzi each drilled jumpers as the Eagles went up 4-0 early. A three and two free throws put the Blue Jays ahead 5-4. The teams traded the lead back and forth several times before the Blue Jays went up 15-8. Back to back three's from Martinazzi pulled Juniata within one, the Blue Jays scored inside, but a Martello three tied the game at 17 with seven and half minutes to go. Buckets from Peralta, Brewer and Lee tied the score three different times before two foul shots by Brewer put Juniata up one in the final seconds. The Blue Jays scored on a layup in the final second to go into the half up 27-26.

Juniata took their first lead five minutes into the second half one a three from Brewer off an assist from Martello. From that point forward, the Eagles closed the game on a 39-13 run as they caught fire on offense and played lockdown defense. Juniata shot 61.3% from the field and 60.0% from three in the second half.

Juniata travels to play Moravian, who has an identical 8-3 conference record, Saturday at 2:00 p.m.