UDC Men’s Basketball Falls at Molloy in ECC Contest

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY – The University of the District of Columbia men's basketball team was defeated by host Molloy, 90-66 on Saturday afternoon at Quealy Gymnasium.

Junior transfer forward Lenjo Kilo (Biology – Silver Spring, MD/Seton Hill) led four Firebirds in double-figures with 18 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Omar Abbas (Electrical Engineering – Alexandria, Egypt/Egyptian American HS) also registered 17 points and five rebounds and guards Prince Ritson (Psychology – Greenbelt, MD/Bowie St.) and Reggie Sidbury (Social Work – Landover, MD/Charles Herbert Flowers HS) added 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Molloy was led by its ECC Preseason Player of the Year, John Petrucelli, who registered game-highs of 32 points and 10 rebounds. Also, Matt McLeod added 14 points and eight rebounds.

UDC enjoyed three early leads, each on baskets by Kilo, Abbas, and sophomore transfer forward Clenso Brannon III (Graphic Design – Washington, DC/College of Southern Maryland) and kept it close for a little more than half of the opening period. After Brannon III's layup forced a 19-all tie at the 10:23 mark, Molloy went on a 15-2 run to extend its lead to 34-21 with 4:48 left in the first half. The Lions would wind up taking a 43-29 lead into the break.

The Lions started the second half ona 5-2 run and opened up a 48-31 lead after a dunk by Petrucelli at the 18:24 mark. A 6-0 run by the Firebirds, helped along by two consecutive layups by Kilo, shrunk the deficit down to 11 (48-37), but that was as close as UDC would get the rest of the way.  The Lions mounted a 12-1 run and took a comfortable, 60-38 lead with 12:44 left to play. Their lead swelled to as much as 28 before the Firebirds closed out the game with the last four points to make it a 90-66 final.

Molloy was extremely efficient with the basketball, only committing one turnover the whole game while forcing 12 by the Firebirds and cashing them in for 19 points. The Lions also won the rebounding battle, 50-40 and had 22 offensive rebounds which resulted in 29 second-chance points. Molloy also out-scored UDC 46-28 in the paint and 20-0 in bench points as UDC had just two available reserves.

The Firebirds will return to the nation's capital to host league-leading Dowling on Wednesday, February 26^th at 7 p.m.