Box Score OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Stevenson men's basketball stormed back behind a balanced effort, knocking off a crafty Lebanon Valley side by a 77-66 count on Saturday afternoon inside Owings Mills Gymnasium.
Stevenson (9-6, 5-4) placed four in double figures, including a team-high 16 points each from Ronald Ayers (4-4 3FG) and Cameron Sapienza, who set a new career-high in his return to the lineup. Khalil Richard and McKale Williams chipped in 10 points apiece for the Mustangs from the starting unit, while the bench combined for 46 points in the victory.
Lebanon Valley (5-11, 2-7) continues its slide, squandering an 11-point lead in the opening half in its seventh-straight setback. Evin Timochenko (8-8 FG) and Collin Jones provided a potent inside duo for the Dutchmen with 18 points each.
- LVC opened the contest with 10 of the first 12 points, which included a triple from Jones at 17:31. The Mustangs trimmed their deficit to 13-10 following an Ayers three and a pair of foul shots from Jalin Jordan.
- Ahead 22-18, LVC expanded its lead to double digits over the next three minutes.
- Sapienza turned the tide with a three-point from the right corner, converting through contact and adding the foul shot at the 1:18 mark.
- Stevenson used a 19-7 run to begin the second half, pushing its lead to 50-43. A quick 9-0 barrage of three-point baskets from Ayers and Richard pushed the hosts ahead for good with just under 14 minutes remaining.
- While both sides clamped down on defense over the next few minutes, Stevenson ballooned its lead to 62-50 following a Sapienza triple at 6:15 off a feed from Ayers.
- Stevenson continued to match LVC, adding some timely stops to work its advantage to 68-52 following a steal and score from McKale Williams.
- The Dutchmen attempted to extend the game by fouling with just under three minutes left as Stevenson maintained the edge at the foul line.
- Stevenson matched a season-high 11 three-point field goals in the victory. The Mustangs went 56.7% from the floor in the second half to climb back into the contest and eventually pull away.
- Damon Koskovich made some key plays inside for the Mustangs, finishing with six points and four boards.
- Sapienza posted his second double-digit scoring game of the season with a career-high 16 points in his return to the lineup. His previous high was 10, coming back against Waynesburg in late December.
- Ayers was just one point shy of matching his previous career high in scoring.
- The Mustangs held a big 45-5 edge in bench points, keyed by Ayers, Sapienza and Jalen Jacox.
- Richard matched a season-high four assists for the Mustangs.
- Jones, who ranks second in the league in scoring, was held to just three points in the second half. He missed the first meeting with the Mustangs earlier this season, but had a big impact early in the contest, eventually finishing with nine rebounds and three steals.
- Timochecko notched 15 of his 18 points in the second half for the Dutchmen. The first-year forward dropped in 28 points against the Mustangs in the first meeting between the two sides in December.
- Lebanon Valley's winless streak extended to seven. The last victory for the Dutchmen came on December 8 against Stevenson.
- The Mustangs flipped the script from its first meeting with LVC this season, using a big second half to pull away.
- Stevenson: The Mustangs visit Hood on Wednesday, January 26 at 8:00 p.m.
- Lebanon Valley: The Dutchmen host York (Pa.) on Wednesday, January 26 at 8:00 p.m.
