Merchant Marine - 66, Farmingdale State - 55

Kings Point, N.Y. - USMMA senior forward David Washington (Frisco, Texas) scored 27 points on 11-for-13 shooting to lead Merchant Marine to a 66-55 Skyline Conference victory over FSC on Tuesday night. The Farmingdale State men's basketball team dropped to 10-7 overall and 8-4 in the conference, while the Mariners now stand at 5-8, 3-6.

Trailing 9-6 only 5:26 into the game, the Rams used layups from senior forward George Riefenstahl (Bayport, N.Y.) and junior guard Kyle Beeson (South Jamaica, N.Y.) as well as a pair of 3-pointers from junior guards Ryan Kennedy (Maspeth, N.Y.) and Anthony Miller Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y.) to take a 16-9 advantage.

After an 8-2 run by USMMA cut the FSC lead to just one, 18-17, Farmingdale State senior guard Ali Mableton (Brentwood, N.Y.) registered a layup before Riefenstahl hit two free-throws to regain a five-point lead, 22-17.

The Mariners held a 7-5 advantage over the final 3:06 of the half as the entered the break trailing by three, 27-24. 

Down by six, 39-33, with 13 minutes remaining, USMMA sophomore guard James Walsh (Huntington, N.Y.) knocked down a 3 and Washington tallied a layup to close within just one. On the next Farmingdale State possession, Walsh forced a turnover and recorded a layup to put the Mariners ahead, 40-39.

Merchant Marine led 50-46 with 5:49 left and extended their advantage to eight with back-to-back Washington layups. After a Riefenstahl basket, Washington and junior guard Connor Green (Flower Mound, Texas) each went 2-for-2 at the foul line to go up by 10, 58-48.

The Mariners were a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line the rest of the way as they earned the 66-55 conference victory.

Riefenstahl finished with a team-high 14 points and seven rebounds, while senior guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) registered 11 points. In the loss, Riefenstahl broke the school record for total career defensive rebounds. He recorded four defensive boards and now has 573 total. He now sits just two defensive rebounds ahead of FSC Hall of Famer Kenny McMillan (571). 

Washington was 7-for-7 as he tallied 18 of his 27 points in the second half. Walsh finished with 15 points, four steals and three assists and freshman forward Blaine McDonough (Marietta, Ga.) produced 11 points to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Rams next return to action when they host Old Westbury for a conference game on Saturday, January 26th at 2:30 p.m.

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