Keshinro Continues Breakout with Dominant Career-High Double-Double as Men's Basketball Takes Wilmington University to Overtime
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 11, 2013) – Senior Olajide Keshinro (Brooklyn, N.Y. / SUNY Cobleskill) recorded his first career double-double with a dominant 12-point, 14-rebound as the Mercy College men's basketball team took Wilmington University to overtime late Wednesday night.
The Mavericks were outscored 10-3 in the extra period to fall to 0-7, while the Wildcats improve to 4-7.
Mercy took the early 3-0 lead over the first two-and-a-half minutes of the game, but a 14-2 run saw Wilmington take control by the midway point. The Mavericks responded immediately, however, as sophomore Dan Pierrot (New York, N.Y. / Adelphi Univ.) hit a three-pointer from the corner and followed that with a fast break dunk after a steal by senior LeBrandon Smith (Jamaica, N.Y. / Archbishop Molloy). Mercy continued its run of eight straight points to cut the lead to one, thanks in part to a trio of blocks by Keshinro in just a one-minute span, including one on an attempted dunk that got the crowd going.
After a Wildcats basket ended the Mavericks' streak, Mercy scored another seven unanswered point to take the lead at 20-16 with five minutes remaining in the first half. Wilmington regained the lead with 2:43 left to play, however, and held a seven-point lead at 33-26 on the strength of a 12-2 run to end the half.
Mercy came out of the break firing as sophomore Nate Stitchell (Coventry, R.I. / Coventry) hit a three-pointer and senior Kirk Bailey (Freeport, N.Y. / St. Mary's) made back-to-back layups on assists from longtime teammate senior Chaz Morrish (Douglaston, N.Y. / St. Mary's), including a spectacular behind-the-back pass on a backdoor cut, to trim the deficit to two just two minutes in. The Mavericks finally regained the lead at the 14:13 mark as Keshinro converted another assist from Morrish on a jump-hook.
A three-point play from Pierrot broke another tie at the 12:33 mark and Stitchell hit a huge three-pointer in transition off his own steal shortly after to break another deadlock, but six Wildcats points over a four-minute drought for the Mavericks saw Wilmington take back a three-point lead with 7:47 to play.
Bailey and Smith hit layups on back-to-back possessions to regain a one-point margin, but another five points from the Wildcats gave them their biggest lead since the beginning of the half at 55-51 with just under five minutes remaining.
Mercy was not about to let this one get away, though. The teams traded buckets and as the Mavericks trailed by two at 57-55 with 2:45 to play, Stitchell stepped into a passing lane for the steal and converted the layup at the other end to tie the game at 57-57. The Wildcats got a layup following a timeout to take another two-point lead, and on the Mavericks' next trip down the court Keshinro came up in the clutch, grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds and hitting the game-tying layup with 1:30 remaining.
The Mavericks had their chances in the final minute as the Wildcats could not get a single shot off, instead committing a pair of turnovers under intense defensive pressure from Stitchell, and the sophomore nearly gave Mercy the win on an open, last-second three-pointer from the corner, but the ball clanked off the rim and the game headed to overtime.
Wilmington hit three baskets in the first two minutes to take a six-point lead with 2:45 to play, and although a three-pointer from Morrish cut the lead to three with 2:26 remaining, the Mavericks could not hit any of their next three shots from beyond the arc, leaving them forced to foul. The Wildcats converted four free throws over the final seconds to come away with the 69-62 win.
Keshinro continued his incredible form over his three-game breakout, during which he is averaging 9.3 points on 12-of-17 shooting, 11.0 rebounds and a conference-leading 5.3 blocks in 28.7 minutes per game. The big man's 12 points and 14 rebounds were both career highs, while his six blocks were one shy of last week's career-high seven. Bailey and Stitchell also finished with 12 points apiece, with Stitchell adding six assists and six steals.
Head Coach Adam Parmenter and the Mavericks (0-7, 0-1) will head to the University of the District of Columbia (1-6, 0-2) for an East Coast Conference matchup on Saturday, Dec. 14.
