Five Towns College Men’s Basketball Falls to Villa Maria and Bryant Stratton - Cleveland in Hard-Fought Home Contests
Joining the women’s team, the Five Towns College Men’s Basketball Team also hosted back-to-back games against conference opponents Villa Maria College and Bryant Stratton – Ohio.
In the first game, the Five Towns College Men’s Basketball Team dropped an incredibly competitive and tough 65-76 decision to Villa Maria College. The contest was tightly contested through the first half—with the Sound trailing by just one point at halftime (30-29)—but Villa Maria’s second-half surge ultimately proved insurmountable.
The game was a tale of two halves. It began with both teams trading baskets, and by halftime, the score was nearly even. However, Villa Maria pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Sound 46-36. The visitors built a comfortable lead, thanks in part to their aggressive interior play and efficient shooting, while Five Towns struggled to keep pace on the boards and in the paint.
Key Performances for Five Towns
- Tayron Bangs led the Sound with 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-14 from three-point range, and dished out 4 assists.
- Eian Williams contributed a team-high 21 points while adding 4 rebounds and 3 assists, highlighting his playmaking ability.
- Patrick Harrington added 9 points, 3 assists, and helped anchor the team’s effort despite limited scoring.
- Ahmad McKnight and Jon Espinal chipped in with 3 and 6 points respectively, but their shooting struggles (combined 4-for-20 from the field) underscored the team’s offensive challenges.
Hunter Waldman and Brady Manning saw limited minutes, and notably, the bench did not produce any real scoring factor and that proved costly as the game progressed.
Looking at the Numbers:
- Five Towns connected on 24 of 63 field goals (38.1%), compared to Villa Maria’s 25 of 56 (44.6%).
- From beyond the arc, the Sound made 7 of 25 (28.0%), a slight edge over Villa Maria’s 5 of 21 (23.8%).
- At the free throw line, Five Towns hit 10 of 14 (71.4%), while Villa Maria was more clinical at 21 of 26 (80.8%).
- The Sound struggled on the boards, securing just 29 rebounds versus Villa Maria’s 41. This disparity was evident in points scored in the paint—28 for Five Towns compared to 40 for Villa Maria—and in second-chance opportunities (5 points vs. 15).
- Despite recording 14 assists to Villa Maria’s 10, Five Towns turned the ball over 15 times, though they did manage to generate 32 points off turnovers—more than Villa Maria’s 22.
Coach Drzal offered a measured response after the game: “We fought hard all night and stayed competitive in the first half, but we fell short in several key areas, especially on the boards. We need more production from our bench and that’s something we must address. Every game is a learning experience, and we’ll take these lessons into our next matchup.”
In their second game of the weekend the Five Towns College men’s basketball team struggled on both ends of the floor and fell 81-53 to Bryant & Stratton-Cleveland. Despite some flashes of offensive potential, the Sound just couldn’t keep up, as the opposition capitalized on efficient shooting and superior rebounding.
Bryant & Stratton-Cleveland built a significant lead by outscoring the Sound 38-26. The momentum continued in the second half when the visitors poured in 43 points to Five Towns’ 27, sealing an 81-53 victory. The final score reflected a combination of factors that ultimately proved too much for the Sound:
Looking at the numbers, Five Towns connected on 23 of 57 field goal attempts (40.4%) and 5 of 18 three-point tries (27.8%). In contrast, Bryant & Stratton-Cleveland shot 31-for-67 (46.3%) from the field and 5-for-24 (20.8%) from three-point range.
The Sound’s struggles at the free throw line were especially glaring, as they made only 2 of 9 attempts (22.2%), compared to an 82.4% clip from their opponents.
The Sound were outrebounded 47-28 and turned the ball over 24 times—factors that contributed to a stark difference in second-chance points and fastbreak opportunities. While Bryant & Stratton-Cleveland scored 26 points off turnovers, the Sound managed just 12.
Finally, the depth on the floor for Five Towns was limited, with reserves chipping in only 10 points, a stark contrast to the 32 bench points recorded by Bryant & Stratton-Cleveland.
There were a few bright spots for the Sound as Jon Espinal led the team with 18 points and 9 rebounds in 31 minutes, showing flashes of promise amid a difficult night. In addition, Tayron Bangs contributed 10 points and dished out 6 assists; however, his 7 turnovers highlighted the issues with ball security. Moreover, Patrick Harrington added 7 points and 2 assists in 28 minutes, while Eian Williams offered 6 points along with 5 assists and 4 steals, but also struggled with 6 turnovers. Finally, Hunter Waldman managed 6 points in 12 minutes, yet the overall output from the bench was limited.
Coach Drzal expressed disappointment with the performance but remains focused on the lessons learned. “We came out a little flat and couldn’t find our rhythm on offense, especially at the free throw line. Our turnovers hurt us, and we have to be more disciplined. It’s a tough loss, but we’ll review the film, address these issues, and work on our execution for the next game,”
Despite the setback, the coaching staff and players are determined to regroup and improve. The Sound will focus on tightening up their fundamentals—reducing turnovers, increasing free throw efficiency, and boosting bench production—to ensure they are better prepared for future contests.
As FTC works to bounce back from this tough loss, the team is now preparing for their next challenge, at home, on Wednesday, February 12, at 8:00 PM against Fisher College.