Men’s Basketball Opens Region 20 and Maryland JUCO Play With 92-80 Win Over CCBC Catonsville

Prince George's Community College men's basketball opened Region 20 Division II and Maryland JUCO conference play in impressive fashion Thursday night, defeating CCBC Catonsville 92-80 inside an energetic Novak Field House.

After trading baskets for much of the first half, the Owls finally separated themselves a bit at the 7:46 mark with back-to-back three-pointers from Isaiah Mansaray sparked a run that pushed Prince George's ahead 29-22. The Owls extended their lead to as many as 11 before heading into halftime up 46-38.

Catonsville responded quickly, coming out of the break, scoring five unanswered points to cut the deficit and force an early timeout from Head Coach Terrell Harris. The stoppage proved timely, as the Owls answered with a 9-0 run to reclaim momentum and build a 55-43 advantage. Prince George's later strung together another nine-point run, stretching their lead to a game-high 22 points with just over eight minutes remaining.

The Cardinals battled foul trouble down the stretch and were forced to turn to their bench as the Owls maintained control to close out the 12-point victory and start Region 20 play 1-0.

Sophomore Willie Rivera Jr. led all scorers with 26 points, adding 6 assists and 2 steals in an all-around performance. Lynn King III contributed 14 points and 3 rebounds while Kelly Okoroh and Isaiah Mansaray came off the bench to provide a big spark with 12 points each.

The win improves Prince George's to 5-1 on the season. The Owls return to action on Saturday at 2 PM when they host Paul. D Camp Community College. Fans attending Saturday's game will receive free admission with a donation of a canned or non-perishable food item as part of the college-wide Hurricane Melissa Relief Drive. The Owls will then travel on Sunday to take on the Naval Academy JV squad.