Viking men top Milwaukee Area Technical College

CENTREVILLE — The Glen Oaks Community College men's basketball team overcame a mid-second half push by visiting Milwaukee Area Technical College Friday night to pick up a 74-64 victory. 

The Vikings trailed 6-0 to start the game but made up the ground quickly and eventually took a 13-10 lead. Darrius Roach scored seven of his team-high 13 points in the first half, including a three-point play that put GOCC out front for the first time. Taurus Baugh also scored seven point in the first 20 minutes of play, while Amauri Moore and Aaron Humphrey Jr. each scored six in the first half. 

Tied at 24-24, Glen Oaks would close out the first half with an 11-4 run for a 35-28 advantage at the break. Michael Phillips connected from short range and then drained a 3-pointer, while Roach added two field goals and Smith had a score to give the Vikings a lift. 

Smith scored quickly to start the second half and Phillips drained another shot from behind the arc to give Glen Oaks a 40-30 lead — its biggest of the night. That's when MATC turned to big man Jayquan Hickles, who started to pound it in the paint en route to a game-high 24 points and a 10-for-12 effort from the field. A Hickles dunk and two free throws put Milwaukee Area up 50-49 midway through the second half. 

William Jamison came off the bench for GOCC and sparked a rally with a field goal and two free throws that put the Vikings back out front, 53-50, and they wouldn't relinquish the lead from there on out. 

A Roach three-point play and baskets by Baugh, Moore and Humphrey stretched the lead to nine with under four minutes to play. Moore knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 67-57 and Phillips would go on to score four points down the stretch, including two key free throws, to put the game on ice. 

Roach finished with two rebounds and seven assists to go with his 13 points. Baugh, Humphrey Jr. and Phillips each recorded 12 points, Moore had 10, Smith finished with 11 and Jamison had four. On the glass, Humphrey Jr. grabbed 12 boards for a double-double, Moore secured nine rebounds, Phillips had six and Smith had five. 

Glen Oaks improved to 3-1 on the year.