Toms River, NJ - OCC Vikings Men's Basketball kicked off their 2018-19 campaign at Passaic County Community College on Saturday (11/17), and fell to the Panthers in a 96-91 heartbreaker.
The Vikings exploded out of the gate, establishing a 45-38 lead at the half (at one point leading Passaic by 13 points), but were unable to shut the proverbial door and secure the win. Ocean freshman Anthony Petit-Clair posted a double-double, with a 21-point, 10-rebound effort, while four other Vikings scored in the double digits as well:
Alfred Demby - 17 points, 7 rebounds
Sean O'Donnell - 13 points, 6 rebounds
Jason Porter - 12 points, 3 rebounds
Francis Robles - 10 points, 7 rebounds
"We played very well for stretches but ultimately were unable to put together a complete 40 minutes," remarked Ocean Head Coach Patrick Boylan. "We need to do a better job of playing with a lead, and we need to make it tougher on teams defensively."
The Vikings return to action in their home opener on Tuesday, November 20th, when they welcome Atlantic Cape Community College to campus for a 7 p.m. conference matchup.