MOUNT VERNON, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball got the 2021-22 season off to a fast start on Friday afternoon, thanks to a 76-64 victory over the Barons of Brewton-Parker College. The Gyrenes raced out to a 32-9 lead in the first half, and never looked back to start the season with a victory for the fourth year in a row, a streak dating back to the program's conference title season of 2018-19.

Ave Maria wasted no time in taking the lead on Friday, as the Gyrenes had a 10-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. AMU made three-pointers on their first two possessions of the season, knocked down by Chayse Culpepper and Matt Gillis. Layups by Culpepper and Klajd Kiri followed on the next possessions, and Ave Maria had a ten-point lead they would not relinquish. 

Brewton-Parker had trimmed the deficit down to eight, 14-6, before Ave Maria's next run blasted the lead to 23. Over the course of six game minutes, the Gyrenes went on an 18-3 run that was powered by returning All-Conference guard Eric Klekas. The senior scored 14 of AMU's 18 points in that surge, hitting four three-pointers. The Gyrenes kept the Barons at distance for the remainder of the half, and led 39-22 after 20 minutes.

The Barons chipped their way back into the game in the first part of the second half, getting as close as six, 52-46, with 10:14 to play. Ave Maria responded by scoring the next 12 points, extending the lead to 64-46 with 7:25 to play and essentially putting the game away. The AMU lead never again got lower than ten points as the Gyrenes cruised to the season-opening win. 

AMU shot 61.4 percent from the field in the win, including a 72.2 percent mark in the first half. The Gyrenes were efficient from three-pointer territory as well, making seven of 14 attempts. Ave Maria's defensive effort was solid as well, holding the Barons to a 33.9 percent mark from the field and just eight made three-pointers on 31 attempts.

Klekas was Ave Maria's leading scorer on Friday afternoon, pouring in 25 points by making eight of eleven field goals, including five three-pointers. In his first game as a Gyrene, Daryl Lewis made all four of his shot attempts en route to 13 points off the bench. AMU's other double figure scorer was Chayse Culpepper, who scored ten points and added three assists and three steals. Mason Osborne grabbed a team-high eight rebounds in his AMU debut.

Following the win in the season opener, the Gyrenes will remain on the road for game two. Ave Maria heads to Pensacola for a meeting with Pensacola Christian on Tuesday, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The teams have met in each of the past three seasons, including twice last season, with Ave Maria winning all four contests, three of which have been in Pensacola.