Green Terror rides rowdy student section to 66-50 win over Shoremen

WESTMINSTER, Md. – Behind the support a raucous student section decked in white, Devon Lesniak (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) and Kevin Henry (Frederick, Md./Bullis) combined for 36 points in McDaniel's 66-50 Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball victory over visiting Washington (Md.) on Saturday.

Lesniak led the Green Terror (4-4, 2-2 CC) for the sixth time this season with 19 points while Henry chipped in a season-best 17 points.

Kevin Breslin registered 18 points to lead the Shoremen (4-5, 3-2 CC), who had their three-game winning streak snapped and extended their losing streak to McDaniel away from home to nine games.

Setting the pace for a frantic first half, Lesniak and Charlie McShane exchanged baskets in the game's first 38 seconds before Henry checked into the game 30 seconds later and hit a layup to spark an 8-0 burst for a 10-2 lead just 4:08 into the game.

A Sal Schittino jumper pulled the visitors within 11-6 with 13:08 on the clock.

Woody Butler (Smithsburg, Md./Middletown) and Breslin traded layups before Louis Sarris-Grau (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) connected on the second of two free throws with 12:00 showing to ignite an 8-1 stretch. Tyler Rudd (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie) capped the stretch with a 3-pointer at the 9:23 mark for a 21-9 advantage.

Washington used a 9-2 stretch to close within 24-19 with 4:03 to play in the first half.

Still leading by five, two Henry baskets keyed a 6-0 burst en route to a 33-24 halftime lead.

The Green Terror reeled off 10 of the first 12 points in the second half to push the lead to 17 with 16:02 to play before nine straight Shoremen tallies – five of which came from Breslin – closed the deficit to 43-35 with 14:11 to play.

However, back-to-back triples from Cullen Murray-Kemp (Trappe, Md./Easton) capped a 9-0 counter that re-established the 17-point edge with 11:23 showing.

An Adam Naymick layup closed the gap to 54-44 with 5:35 to play but Washington could get no closer.

Naymick finished with 11 points.

Lesniak added a career-high six steals to his 19 points – 14 of which came after the intermission. Evan Pupelis (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) led the way on the glass with nine rebounds for McDaniel, which finished with a 38-29 rebounding advantage.

The Green Terror returns to action at home against Alvernia on Sunday, Dec. 19. Game time is 6 p.m.

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