On Saturday, November 16, Montgomery College’s men’s basketball team (4-0) was on their home court for their triumphant 111-89 victory against the Mercer County Vikings (2-2) who traveled from Pennsylvania. Following our recap of Saturday’s eventful affair are personal recollections from MC’s starting guard Christopher Levy and backup wing Thomas Loughry.A crucial contributor to the Raptors’ dominance was their hounding defense, especially in the first half. It’s evident that each player gives everything they’ve got on that side of the ball, but what really forces turnovers is their length and agility.

6’0” and 6’2” guards Christopher Levy and Cortez Whitney chase ball handlers from the top of the key to the wings, where they’re met by MC’s forwards who all range from 6’3” to 6’6”. If opposing teams – this week’s victim being the Vikings – manage to dribble past them, they now decide whether they’re going to pass back out or take a layup over MC’s 6’8” Mateusz Szpin or 6’11” Sebastian Dokum.

The Vikings eventually learned that their shots in the paint would consistently be blocked or altered, and that’s when the turnovers began to pile up. The Raptors forced 14 turnovers in just the first half, five of which coming from passes launched out of bounds late into the shot clock due to the intense pressure MC’s defense was applying.

With two and a half minutes left in the first half, the Raptors hosted a block party; aforementioned forward Mateusz Szpin and backup forward Franklin Ayissi-Etoh had three consecutive blocks, all on left handed layups. This would conclude the first half where the Raptors would find themselves up 56-37.

Despite a damning 19-point lead, the Raptors didn’t let up, coming out of the locker room hot and scoring 18 points in just the first five minutes of the second half, at one point being up by 24. They’d go on to score an impressive 55 points in the second to collectively tally 111 points by the final buzzer.

Each of MC’s games thus far have been high scoring for the JuCo (Junior College) level, as they’ve averaged 98.5 ppg (points per game), with two games in which they’ve crossed the 110 mark. Most teams who produce a lot of points have two or three stars who account for a bulk of the team’s scoring; however, the Raptors’ scoring always tends to be evenly distributed.

Saturday’s outing featured 13 different players that scored at least once with five players scoring 10+. We asked both Levy and Loughry to share their thoughts on their team’s incredibly team-oriented brand of basketball.

“I think the key to our success definitely lies in our collective approach. Personally, I’ve never been on a team quite like this before, where everyone has a role and a voice in the flow of the game… The fact that we can go deep into our rotation and still play with the same intensity and chemistry speaks volumes… I think the style we play with is a big reason for our success,”
Levy stated. He led the Raptors in scoring on Saturday with 17 points in 21 minutes.

“Everyone [understands] that for us to be successful, we need to involve everybody. All of our guys are extremely talented and would be playing 30+ minutes a game on other teams. But like I said, with the talent we have, it won’t be one player’s night each time out, we feed the hot hand and exploit what works against each opponent,” Loughry corroborated.

He was on the team last year and claimed that a lack of depth and collaboration held them back to an extent. This year’s squad looks significantly improved compared to last year’s thus far, and Loughry has improved alongside it. He had six points, three rebounds, three assists, and a steal off the bench on Saturday.

He’s increased his shot volume and efficiency, leading the team in three-pointers made with two per game. Additionally, he’s improved as a defender and secondary playmaker, forcing two turnovers and perfectly placing all three of his assists in just the second half while the starters rested.

“Each day in the off season I made sure to work on my game one way or another, whether it was just going to the park and playing pickup or putting thousands of shots up in the gym. I made a big emphasis on doing something better every day to better myself and to fill the [role] I needed to help the team win… I also have to credit my teammates and coaches for instilling confidence in me each day,” Loughry said.

As previously stated, he’s led the team in three-pointers made this season, many of which coming from a pass by Christopher Levy. 13 of Levy’s 21 assists this season have been to three pointers.

“We definitely prioritize moving the ball around the perimeter to find open looks from three. It’s all about finding the best shot, and when you swing the ball effectively, it works the defense and opens up opportunities for our shooters. We know our guys can knock down shots…” Levy explained.

Notable individual performances (* indicates team leader)

• Christopher Levy (PG/SG): *17pts (5/9fg & 6/7ft), 1stl.
• Mateusz Szpin (PF/SF): 13pts, 12reb, *5ast, 2blk, 66% fg.
• Isaiah Renaud (SF/PF): 10pts (3/4fg & 4/5ft), 3reb, 13 minutes played.

Saturday’s outing was another display of the Raptors’ high motor and depth, and they seek to extend their winning streak to 5-0 in Queen Anne’s County against the Chesapeake College Skipjacks tonight at 7pm.