Men’s Basketball to Compete at Steve Moore Sunshine Classic

BOSTON – Suffolk men's basketball has taken its talents to warmer weather to participate in the Steve Moore Sunshine Classic in Winter Park, Florida, Dec. 19-20. The Rams open the two-day tournament Tuesday versus Wooster at 3 p.m. and will face either Saint Joseph (Conn.) or Bethan Lutheran Wednesday. The consolation contest is set for a 1 p.m. tip-off with the championship scheduled for 3 p.m. 

SOCIAL SAYINGS
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The Rams faced a double-digit deficit with a minute left in regulation, closed the gap to three with seconds remaining, but ultimately saw its comeback fall short as Suffolk men's basketball fell to Endicott, 93-88, Tuesday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference action at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court.  

MORE READING: Men's Basketball Edged Out by Endicott, 93-88 

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk has yet to find the win column in December with an 87-78 setback to Roger Williams and a 93-88 loss to Endicott to bring a 4-3 overall record to the Sunshine state.  

The upperclassmen of Evan Cook (18.0 ppg), Danny Yardemian (14.4 ppg) and Keenan Robertson (13.7 ppg) anchor the Rams' 77.4 ppg scoring unit.  

Robertson and Yardemian sit first and second on the glass as well. The former brings down a team-best 7.0 rpg with the latter pitching in 5.6 rpg to pace the blue-and-gold's 38.9 rpg effort. 

FIGHTING SCOTS FACTS
Wooster carries a 2-6 overall record to Florida. The Fighting Scots victories this season came over Rochester, 78-60, in the season-opener Nov. 10 and versus Ohio Wesleyan, 79-42, Nov. 29. Similar to Suffolk, Wooster is winless in December with losses at Denison (91-75) and DePauw (60-58).  

Three Fighting Scots average double figures in scoring in Ashton Price (15.0 ppg), Nick Everett (11.1 ppg) and Jamir Billings (10.3 ppg). As a team, Wooster scores 70.8 ppg. 

Defensively, the Fighting Scots limit their foes to 70.0 ppg. On the boards, Jaiden Cox-Holloway's 6.1 rpg leads the team's 39.1 rpg effort that receives 5.3 rpg from Everett. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Wooster will meet for the first time in program history.  

EYES ON THE GAME
 

BLUE JAYS BREAKDOWN
Saint Joseph sits 7-2 on the year and takes momentum from its 81-56 triumph over New England College December 9 to Florida.  

The threesome of Jalen Samuels (17.8 ppg), Tyree Mitchell (12.7 ppg) and Lence Altenor (12.1 ppg) lead the Blue Jays 76.4 ppg offense. 

Samuels 6.1 rpg anchors USJ's 34.4 rpg effort on the glass. Friedrich Feldrappe and Mitchell add 5.1 rpg and 4.0 rpg, respectively.  

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, USJ series started in 2018-19. 
• The Rams are 1-2 all-time against the Blue Jays. 
• Suffolk won the first-ever meeting with Saint Joseph (Conn.), 79-77, Feb. 14, 2019. 
• The blue-and-gold has fallen in two in a two against the Blue Jays. 
• Suffolk and USJ will meet at a neutral site for the first time.  

EYES ON THE GAME

VIKINGS VIEW
Bethany Lutheran (7-2) rides a four-game win streak into the Steven Moore Sunshine Classic.  

Drew Sageahl averages over 20.0 ppg with 22.0 ppg to his credit to be one of seven players producing double figures in scoring including everyday staters Hunter Nielsen (16.3 ppg), Dominik (13.2 ppg) and Mason Ackley (11.2 ppg). Xavier Patterson, who has started all seven games he has appeared, averages 12.6 ppg.  

Nielsen brings down a team-high 10.2 rpg to average a double-double. Ackley adds 5.9 rpg to the team's 41.2 rpg. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Bethany Lutheran would tangle for the first time.  

EYES ON THE GAME
 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams will return to New England, but will be away from action until Tuesday, Jan. 2 when they visit Curry for 7:30 p.m. Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) contest.