Hackettstown, NJ: The Cyclones improved their record to 4-4 on the season, doubling their win total from the 2023-24 season. The Cyclones hosted the Monarchs of King's College to close out a basketball mid-week double header. The final score of the contest was 79-69.
Inside the Box Score
After a slow start, the Clones allowed a 12-2 run by the Monarchs in the opening three minutes of the contest. After a spree of threes by
Justin Carbone, the Cyclones cut down the ten point deficit. The Cyclones would continue cutting down the lead, and would ultimately gain the lead in the closing three minutes of the first half. The final minutes of the opening period was competitive, as the Cyclones and Monarchs concluded the first twenty minutes with a 36-35 score following a half court heave by the Monarchs to reclaim the lead by one point. The Cyclones staff continues to show their strong ability to make halftime adjustments, as they regained the lead and dominated in the second half. In the first two minutes of action, the Cyclones regained the lead and did not allow the Monarchs to claw their way back into the contest. Once again, the Clones received major contributions from their role players, as over half of the team's points were scored from the bench with forty-eight points scored. As a team, the Clones did a great job scoring on scoring after grabbing an offensive rebound, as they wrapped up the contest with twenty-one second chance points. The Cyclones dominated the glass, winning the rebound margin by nine after recording forty rebounds as a team.
Game Standouts
Naire Preston posted nineteen points for the Cyclones, coming off the bench as the sixth man improving his points per game to 14.1. Preston's streak of a perfect from the free throw line, extends to four games after going four-for-four at the line. The second year guard would also come away from the contest with four rebounds, two steals, a block, and two assists.
Justin Carbone, scored a three pointer on three consecutive possessions early on, to end the Monarch's 12-2 run opening up the contest. Carbone would also go on to record two rebounds and two assists. At the line, Carbone shot three-for-four to put him at twelve points for the contest.
Coming off of a career game, where he scored thirty points,
Darnelle Forrest posted eleven points in twenty-eight minutes of action. At the line, Forrest shot a perfect four-for-four. The sophomore guard, did an outstanding job facilitating, as he recorded a team best five assists in the contest.
Brandon Yale, recorded multiple season highs, after posting eleven points, four field goals made, and two three point attempts made. In twenty-four minutes of action, Yale came down with a total of six rebounds, two steals, and two assists.
