ESCANABA, Mich. — No. 16-ranked Milwaukee Area Technical College men's basketball once again proved its standing among the nation's top teams by dominating both of its road matchups at the Terrace Bay Hotel Holiday Classic this past weekend. The Stormers rolled past North Central Michigan and Bay College by double digits to improve to 11-3 overall and 7-3 away from home.

MATC showcased its depth and balance throughout the two-day event, combining efficient offense with defensive pressure to control both contests. The Stormers leaned on strong guard play and interior scoring to separate from North Central Michigan on Friday, then followed with another convincing performance Saturday against Bay College to cap the sweep.

"We had a good weekend and our guys took some big steps in the right direction as a team," Stormers head coach Randy Casey said. "Our defense in both games was a big part of our success."

Game 1 (Friday):
Stormers 134, North Central Michigan 71

Milwaukee Area Technical College wasted little time seizing control Friday, racing to a 69-26 halftime lead before cruising to a 134-71 victory over North Central Michigan. The Stormers shot well above 50 percent, converting 52 of 101 attempts and finishing 7-for-26 from 3-point range. The 134 points marked a season high and came within six of the program record of 140 set on Jan. 25, 2020.

MATC overwhelmed North Central Michigan in every statistical category, shooting 51.5 percent from the floor compared to 38.8 percent for the Timberwolves and converting 23 of 28 free throws. The Stormers dominated the glass with a 68-32 rebounding margin that fueled a 42-11 advantage in second-chance points and doubled their opponent in paint scoring, 72-36. They also forced 30 turnovers that led to 47 points, while committing just 17 themselves. MATC's depth proved decisive as the bench contributed 80 points, helping the Stormers build a lead as large as 63.

"Friday was truly a team effort and everyone did their part when they got on the floor," Casey said. "I'm excited to see how we continue to move forward."

Seven players reached double figures for MATC. Freshman forward Turon Rivers led the way off the bench with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while also pulling down 11 rebounds (six offensive) to go with a steal and a block. Starting center Ozzie Johnson and reserve guard Aidan Chapman followed with 14 points apiece. Johnson added three rebounds, three assists and a block while finishing an efficient 7-of-10 from the floor. Chapman chipped in seven rebounds, a steal and three made 3-pointers to spark the second unit.

Jayden Hackett filled the stat sheet with 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals, while Qi'Andre Washington contributed 11 points, eight boards, six assists and four steals. Jordan Jones rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points and three rebounds.



Game 2 (Saturday):
Stormers 91, Bay College 78

Coming off Friday's blowout win, MATC carried its momentum into Saturday with a 91-78 road victory over Bay College. The Stormers set the tone early with a 12-2 run in the first six minutes, holding the Norse to 1-for-14 shooting and forcing four turnovers. Bay College rallied to pull within 32-31 late in the half, but MATC answered with a 12-6 spurt to take a 44-37 lead at the break. A decisive 10-0 surge midway through the second half — highlighted by Hackett's perfect 3-for-3 stretch that included two 3-pointers — pushed the margin to 72-59 and gave the Stormers the cushion they needed to secure the win.

MATC's offensive efficiency proved decisive, as the Stormers shot 50 percent from the floor and a blistering 52.4 percent from 3-point range with 11 makes, while Bay College managed just 35.9 percent overall. The Stormers also shared the ball effectively with 23 assists to the Norse's 13 and committed only 14 turnovers. Although Bay held a 47-40 edge on the boards and matched MATC with 20 points off turnovers, the Stormers controlled the interior with a 44-26 advantage in paint scoring, added 16 fastbreak points to none for Bay, and built a lead as large as 19 midway through the second half.

Hackett led the Stormers with a team-high 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including 18 in the second half. He also added four rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Sophomore guard Noah Daniel buried 5 of 10 attempts from beyond the arc to finish with 19 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals. Freshman reserve Rivers matched him with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting while recording another double-double with 13 rebounds.

Washington contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block. Raydelh Boutin and Johnson rounded out the effort with six points apiece.



UP NEXT
No. 16 MATC (11-3) will travel to Moraine Valley Community College at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.