MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A quick return home before Christmas break was all the Milwaukee Area Technical College men's basketball team needed to regain its confidence following a 5-11 start to the 2024-25 season.

Led by their stingy defense and a game-high 28 points from sophomore Matthew Hoarde, the Stormers were able to quickly jump out to a 25-7 lead on Monday before claiming a dominant 95-54 home win to improve to 6-11 on the season.

"I think in the first half we played well defensively," MATC head men's basketball coach Randy Casey said. "The second half we started to extend the zone too much and we gave Harper too many gaps to drive in and drop off passes for higher percentage shots, but in the first half we played solid [enough to win]."

The first half proved to be all MATC from the opening tip. The Stormers never trailed and immediately opened the game on a 6-0 run. Their defense held Harper to 32.4 percent (11-of-34) from the field in the first half while forcing 16 turnovers. In comparison, MATC shot above 50 percent in the opening half, going 19-of-38 and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Hoarde, scored 14 of his game-high 28 points in the first half on 6-of-12 shooting, including a 2-for-5 mark from downtown. His aggressiveness and quick trigger afforded him to record a new career high in points since becoming a Stormer.

"Tonight Hoarde did the things he's supposed to do," Casey said of his second-year guard. "A lot of times when he catches the ball he doesn't shoot right away. He thinks about it and takes two to three dribbles and then decides to shoot. Tonight he just caught the ball and shot in rhythm, which showed in the results."

That sentiment was also echoed by Hoarde himself after having his best night with the Stormers.

"I think my performance tonight was good," Hoarde said of his career night. "I was picking my spots. As coach [Casey] said, I'll be thinking too much, but today I wasn't thinking. I just came in with that mindset to score and that's what happened."

Up 49-25 at halftime, MATC made it a priority to remain focused and keep the pedal on the gas throughout the second half. They opened the second half on a 16-9 run before falling into a mental lapse that resulted in four turnovers out of six straight possessions. Frustrated with the lack of discipline by his players during that stretch, Casey immediately called a timeout with 10:08 remaining up 67-40. The brief pause in action was all the Stormers' needed to regain focus and close the game out on a 28-14 run.

MATC ended the evening shooting 50.6 percent from the field (40-of-79) and 24 percent from three (6-of-25). They also finished with an eye-popping 66 paint points while forcing 60 defensive stops.

"In close games, where we've had those four to five minute stretches where we consistently turn the ball over, that costs us," Casey said. "It didn't cost us here [tonight] because we were ahead, but that's what we have to get rid of because we keep having those bad stretches every single game."

According to Hoarde, the 41-point blowout victory bodes well for the team morale as they get ready to take a 25-day break before gearing up for the back half of regular season.

"This win boosts our confidence going into [winter] break," Hoarde said.

STAT BOOK
Hoarde led the Stormers with 28 points, five rebounds, four steals, three assists, and a pair of blocks. Freshman Ky'Moni Hunt totaled 14 points, four steals, one rebound and an assist. Freshman Noah Daniels recorded a double-double with 13 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, four steals, and one block. Freshman Menzy Carden chipped in 11 points and two steals in 11 minutes off the bench.

UP NEXT
MATC (6-11) will take some time off for winter break before resuming action against Rock Valley College at 2 p.m. on Jan. 11. "I think this break is good for us," Casey said. "We went into it the right way and won three of four…we have some injuries that we will hopefully get back after this break."