LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. – The Maine Maritime Academy men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with an impressive 84-55 road victory over Medgar Evers on Friday evening at LaGuardia Community College.
The Mariners improved to 1-0 behind a balanced offensive attack that featured four players in double figures and a dominant effort on the glass. Maine Maritime led 47-27 at halftime and never allowed the Cougars back into contention, building its advantage to as many as 32 points midway through the second half.
Freshman
Tyler McKnight paced the Mariners with 18 points, knocking down six three-pointers in just 18 minutes of action. Junior
Miles Bonilla added 17 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night while also converting 5-of-6 free throw attempts. Sophomore
Drew Hamilton chipped in 16 points and four assists, while junior
Prentice Young Jr. finished with eight points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Maine Maritime seized control after trailing 5-0 in the opening minute. A pair of McKnight three-pointers and a balanced stretch on both ends fueled a 14-3 run that put the Mariners ahead for good. The visitors continued to extend the margin throughout the first half, using a barrage of perimeter shooting to build a 20-point lead before taking a 47-27 advantage into the break.
The Mariners remained in command throughout the second half. Hamilton sparked the offense early with seven points during the opening four minutes of the period, while Young connected on a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 59-32 with 16:09 remaining. Bonilla later scored 11 second-half points as Maine Maritime stretched the margin to 75-43 following one of his two three-pointers with 9:28 left.
Maine Maritime showcased its depth throughout the contest, receiving 54 points from its bench. Junior
Wade Hill contributed seven points, four rebounds and two assists, while freshman
Kensey Bewley added four points and a steal. Freshman
Dylan Roberts came off the bench to knock down a three-pointer late in the game.
The Mariners controlled the glass, out rebounding Medgar Evers 51-38, and moved the ball effectively with 26 assists on 31 made field goals. Junior
Gabe Hagar led the rebounding effort with 10 boards and added three assists, while freshman
Immanuel Weaver filled the stat sheet with six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
As a team, Maine Maritime shot 44.9 percent from the field and connected on 13-of-34 attempts from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Mariners held Medgar Evers to 30.3 percent shooting and just 21.7 percent from three-point range.
The Mariners return to action on Sunday against the City College of New York beginning at 3 p.m.
