Another Strong Performance Not Enough for Men’s Basketball

By Bryant Marks
CUMBERLAND, MD -- In their second game of the Hoops for Hunger Christmas Classic, Richard Bland men's basketball hangs tough with Hagerstown but drops the game, 82-78.

RBC is now 5-6 through 11 games with two games left before Winter Break. On Tuesday the team will travel to CCBC Catonsville for their first matchup against the Cardinals. 

Saturday's game matched the Statesmen against Hagerstown for the second time this season. The first half was a back and forth contest as the opening minutes saw each team trade buckets. Mykai Smith scored 9 of the Statesmen's first 11 points as he nailed three three-pointers. Unnecessary turnovers by Bland gave Hagerstown the lead going into half, 42-34. In the second, RBC went on multiple runs, including an 11-2 run which put Hagerstown on their heels barely leading. Despite the runs Hagerstown bent but did not break and held onto their lead as time expired. The final score was 82-78.

Leading Richard Bland today were Mykai Smith who finished with 20 points, Kenneth Southerland with 17 points, and Antonio Puaauli-Pelham with 16 points.