Freshman forward posts career-highs in points and rebounds

Postgame comments with head coach Brian Walmsley

NORTON, Mass. – Wheaton College freshman forward Quinton Dale (Winthrop, Mass./Taft School) tallied 18 points and hauled in 14 rebounds, both career-highs, to lift the men's basketball team to a 65-53 victory over Coast Guard Academy in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both squads.

Dale nearly had a double-double in the first half alone registering ten points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds. The Lyons shot 58.3-percent (14-for-24) in the opening stanza en route to evening the all-time series with the Bears, which dates back to 1998-1989, at 17-17.

Wheaton freshman guard Agyei Gregory (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands/St. Andrews) tied Dale for the game-high in points with 18 on 6-for-11 shooting including a perfect 5-for-5 showing at the free throw line. Senior guard Will Bayliss (Manchester, N.H./Tilton School) collected eight points, four rebounds and two assists, while junior Eddie Capstick (Worcester, Marianapolis Prep) and freshman Andrew Esancy (Yarmouth, Maine/Cushing Academy) finished with six points apiece. Bayliss also went 1-for-1 from beyond the arc as the senior captain buried a buzzer beating trey from the left corner on a feed by Gregory to end the first half.

Coast Guard senior forward John Benedict (Cumming, Ga./West Forsyth) compiled a team-high 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Classmate Devonte Weems (Chesapeake Beach, Md./Huntingtown) matched Benedict in the scoring column, grabbed five caroms and collected four steals. Sophomore guard Ricky Rodriguez (Caracas, Venezuela/Cypress Bay) added six points and two rebounds.

The Lyons held a 35-29 lead at the break in large part to their interior postgame which yielded a 22-8 differential in points in the paint. Wheaton also outrebounded Coast Guard 19-11 in the opening stanza.

In the second half, the Blue and White jumped out to a 12-point advantage (45-33) as Dale and Escancy scored all of their points on layups. Dale registered Wheaton's first two baskets, before Escancy took over down low which included a fastbreak layup on a halfcourt pass by Bayliss to cap the run at the 15:36 mark.

Coast Guard responded with a 12-4 run over the next 4:27 to cut its deficit down to four points (49-45). Weems led the charge with six points, while sophomore forward Ryan McNeil (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) and classmates Mark Krebs (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West) and Avierre Conner (Avon Park, Fla./Marion Military Institute) contributed one basket each.

Capstick connected on a jumper for the Lyons at the 10:56 mark and the hosts went on to maintain a double digit advantage after back-to-back three-pointers from Gregory and junior guard Jaycob Morales (Lawrence, Mass./Central Catholic) for the remainder of the contest.

Overall, Wheaton shot 47.3-percent (26-for-55) from the field, 71.4-percent (10-for-14) at the free throw line and posted a 36-18 margin in points in the paint. Coast Guard finished at a 31.4-percent (16-for-51) clip from the field and 81.0-percent (17-for-21) at the line. The Lyons bench also outscored the Bears, 29-17, including 16-8 in the second half.

Wheaton (5-4, 1-0 NEWMAC) travels to Clark University on Saturday, January 11 for a NEWMAC clash at 1 p.m. Coast Guard (2-9, 0-1 NEWMAC) visits Emerson College for a conference matchup on Saturday with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m.

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