AVE MARIA, Fla. — The record books will need to be rewritten after Monday night as the Ave Maria Men's Basketball team lit up the scoreboard and beat Trinity Baptist College 142-93. It the most points scored in a game by the Gyrenes in program history, passing the previous mark by 23.
The game started fast and stayed fast with both teams pushing the tempo. Each squad hit a layup at the start to make the score 2-2. That is the last time the game would be tied. Ave Maria took a 4-2 lead after that and never gave it back.
Ave Maria scored 67 points in the first half, which was a new a program record. The previous high for points in a half was 65, which was set just 10 months earlier in January when the Gyrenes beat Webber 111-86.
Ave Maria hit 52% of their shots from the floor, including 10 three-pointers. That was just one away from their average for an entire game in just the first 20 minutes.
The first half would have been the greatest half in Ave Maria history, but then the Gyrenes took the floor in the second. Ave Maria scored 75 points in the final 20 minutes, shattering the record they had just set a few moments ago. The Gyrenes made 68% of their shots in the second half, which was a season high. Nine more threes rained down from behind the arc as Ave Maria finished the game with 19 trifectas.
To Trinity Baptist's credit, they scored 93 points, the most points they have scored this season, but the Eagles just couldn't find a way to keep with the Gyrenes.
When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard at the Tom Golisano Field House showed Ave Maria with 142 points. The previous high mark was 119 points set on January 17, 2012. Along with setting the scoring record, the Gyrenes also set the record for most field goals in a game with 53 and tied for the second most threes in a game with 19.
When recounting the game, head coach Jamon Copeland said it was the pace of the game that led to the historic night.
"Defensively we were speeding them up, making them take quick possessions. And then our pace, and our guys' willingness. They are so unselfish. They really share it and take great shots. And when you take great shots, and you got great shooters and great players, it typically goes in. But obviously, you have to have a game where you have a lot of possessions. And that's how we like to play and that's how, style-wise, it was, and we were making shots tonight," said Copeland.
Eight players hit double figures in the box score Monday night, the most Ave Maria has had in one game. Jaylen White led the team with 24 points, followed by Michael Klekas with 19, Miles Monchecourt with 16, Nick Filchner and Jonathan Effertz at 14, Noryen Lasley and Jack Poirier at 12 and Mitchell Lee rounding out the group with 10.
"If you watch the group, the great [thing about them is] is just how they celebrate each other, and I think its just part of their unselfishness. And that makes us successful on the offensive end," said Copeland.
Of the 19 threes in the game, White, Filchner and Poirier tied for the team lead, each with four.
Lasley led the team with 11 rebounds, recording his first double-double of the season. Monchecourt also had a double-double with 10 rebounds.
With the historic win, Ave Maria improves to 7-2 on the year.
The Gyrenes now go on the road to take part in the 10
th annual NAIA "The Show" Classic. It is the fourth year in a row the Gyrenes will compete in the yearly Thanksgiving classic that matches up some of the best teams from around the country against each other. Ave Maria has two ranked matchups in the Classic, first taking on the #20 Life Running Eagles on Friday and then playing the #16 Cumberlands Patriots on Saturday.
"Big time tournament it is the best NAIA tournament in the nation," said Copeland. "[Life and Cumberlands are] both unbelievable. We are going to have to play an A plus game to win and I am just excited to watch our guys compete. It will be great for us. Establishing habits that hopefully continue into conference play."
Tipoff against Life is set for 5:30 p.m. from Kingsport, Tennessee.
