Adeoye Posts First Double-Double as Women’s Basketball Unable to Sink USMMA

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Junior Ayomide Adeoye (Brooklyn, N.Y./Edward R. Murrow) had a career game and senior Kelly O'Donnell (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) turned in her sixth double-double of the season and led the team in scoring, but the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team dropped an 80-58 decision to the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Tuesday evening at home in a rematch of the 2020 Skyline Conference final.

How it Happened

The Bears got off to a quick start jumping out to a 6-0 lead off triples from Briana Gomez (West Hempstead, N.Y./Kellenberg) and Alexis Breen (Union Beach, N.J./Keyport). But the Mariners  (5-1, 4-1) responded with an 18-0 run to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Breen drained another triple to end the five-minute scoring drought and the Bears brought the deficit back to single digits with an O'Donnell layup just before the end of the first quarter.

SJC continued to chip away at the deficit with the bench sparking a 10-5 run. Adeoye scored four quick points in the paint and Grace Kennedy (Maspeth, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) drained a jumper that shrank the deficit to 29-25 nearing the midway point of the period. But that would be the closest the Bears would get as the Mariners scored the next 12 points to distance themselves again. 

The Bears would outshoot the Mariners in the half, 52 percent to 48 percent, and had a 19-18 edge in rebounding, but trailed 46-31 headed into the lockers with the visitors making nine more field goals in the opening 20.

Unable to cut into the deficit in the third, the Bears had a strong showing in the final 10 minutes to win the final frame. Adeoye provided much of the spark, scoring seven points on 3-of-4 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in the period to record her first double-double.

For the Bears

• O'Donnell recorded the 38th double-double of her career, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 boards. She now sits 18 points away from scoring 1,700 for her career.
• Adeoye shot 6-of-7 from the floor and posted career highs in points (13), rebounds (12) and blocks (2) in 20 minutes of action.
• Kennedy chipped in eight points off the bench, nailing a pair of triples and dished out two dimes.
• Making her first career start, Gomez added seven points with five rebounds and a steal.
• Breen and Jamie Provino (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) handed out six assists each. Breen also hit a pair of trifectas for six points.

Next Up

The Bears head to Bronxville, N.Y. on Thursday, December 9 to face Sarah Lawrence College in Skyline Conference tilt starting at 7 p.m. LIve stats and video will be available at SJCBears.com/live.