Big Second Half Propels Basketball to Victory

Brunswick overcame an early 10-point deficit on Thursday against FAA rival Rye CDS, rallying to beat the Wildcats in Dann Gym, 70-61. The victory snaps a five-game skid for the Bruins (2-5, 1-2). Brunswick returns to action at St. Luke’s on Friday, January 4.

 

Leading 4-0 in the first half, the Bruins fell behind to the Wildcats, as the visitors built a 41-31 lead with under a minute to play in the half. A free throw by Brunswick’s Chisom Okpara finished the scoring in the opening frame, as the Bruins went into the break trailing 41-32.

 

Brunswick opened the second half with an impressive 12-3 run, tying the game at 44-44 on an Okpara mid-range jumper at 9:50.

 

The teams battled back and forth over the next two minutes, before the Bruins built their own double-figure lead, 62-52, capped by a 15-footer from Okpara with 4:20 left to play.

 

Following a Wildcat timeout, the visitors went on 9-2 spurt over the next 2:29, making it a one-possession contest with 1:15 left to play, 64-61.

 

That would be as close as the visitors would get, as the Wildcats went 0-for-3 from the floor down the stretch and the Bruins sank 6-of-8 free throws to close out the game.

 

Leading the Bruins were Okpara (23 points), Wilson (13 points), Tristan Joseph (11 points) and Henry Caponiti (10 points).

 

Brunswick held a decisive 37-10 rebounding advantage, including a 14-4 lead on the offensive glass.

 

Rye CDS  41 20 – 61

Bruins     32 38 – 70