Tigers Pick Up Key Win at Home

Marion, AL. – The MMI men's basketball team defeated the Pirates of Chattahoochee Valley Community College yesterday evening 92-80. They will travel to Andalusia, Alabama Thursday, February, to take on the Saints of LBW. Tip-off for Thursday's ACCC re-match is 7:00 p.m.

Marion started the game on a 5-0 run after Aidan Driggers hit a three-pointer from the left wing and Tyrone Wright scored under the basket. After the Pirates scored their first basket, the Tigers maintained their lead until the 5:38 mark in the first half when LBW took a 29-30 advantage. The visitors from Phenix City built a six-point lead before Wright hit a mid-range jumper and Nicholas Cham hit a three-pointer to bring the score back even at 35 points apiece. Wright's basket on MMI's next possession gave the lead back to the home team and they held onto a slim 41-39 at halftime.

The first four minutes of the second half saw both teams trade baskets until the Tigers were able to build a seven-point lead, 58-51. CVCC put together a small run and took the lead back, 62-63, with 11:09 on the clock. The next two minutes saw the lead change again before a Chatt Valley foul and subsequent technical foul gave Marion the momentum needed to add to their lead. With the Tigers holding a 69-66 lead, Driggers scored three points on an old fashioned three-point play: a layup and free throw. The Pirates cut the lead to four twice before Cham's jumper at 4:17 extended the lead to nine points.

Chatt Valley, down six points with under two minutes to play in regulation, started fouling and Cham made six straight free throws to close out the win.

Jaylen Carrington led all scorers with 22 points. Nicholas Cham and Tyrone Wright each finished with a double-double; Cham dished out 10 assists with 19 points while Wright scored 20 points with 13 rebounds.

Also scoring for MMI was Dashley Estime (12), Aidan Driggers (8), Johnathon Crawford (5), Jahmar Brown (4), Jamarion Ezell (2).