Duke, Ibezimakor Lead Patriots to Dominant Season-Opening Win

The Cumberlands Patriots men’s basketball team kicked off their season in impressive fashion Friday night, overcoming an early deficit to pull away for a commanding 83-62 victory over Simmons College. Kyle Duke led all scorers with 22 points, while Abraham Ibezimakor recorded a monster double-double to power the Patriots to a 1-0 start in front of the home crowd.

Patriots Weather an Early Storm

Simmons came out firing, jumping out to an early 15-6 lead and putting the Patriots on their heels. UC battled back, with a trio of three-pointers from Brant Smithers keeping them within striking distance. The Patriots’ offense began to click midway through the half, and a crucial three-pointer from Andrew McConnell gave UC its first lead of the game at 25-23. Cumberlands closed the half with a flurry, capped by a fastbreak dunk from Malachi Robinson just before the buzzer to take a 40-31 lead into the locker room.

UC Pulls Away in the Second Half

The Patriots came out of halftime and immediately took control of the game. A three-pointer from Brady Bell and a three-point play from Abraham Ibezimakor pushed the lead to 15 points just 90 seconds into the period. While Simmons tried to fight back, cutting the lead to single digits, the Patriots had an answer for every run.

Kyle Duke took over in the second half, scoring from all over the floor to help UC build an insurmountable lead. A three-pointer from Brady Bell extended the advantage to a game-high 22 points at 69-47, and the Patriots never looked back, cruising to the 83-62 victory.

Patriots By The Numbers

  • Leading the Charge: Kyle Duke was outstanding, pouring in a game-high 22 points to go along with 6 rebounds.
  • Double-Double Dominance: Abraham Ibezimakor was a force in the paint, finishing with a powerful double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.
  • Sharpshooters: Brant Smithers and Brady Bell provided firepower from beyond the arc, each knocking down three triples and finishing with 11 points apiece.
  • The Floor General: Andrew McConnell directed the offense effectively, dishing out a team-high 6 assists.
  • Controlling the Glass: The Patriots dominated the boards, winning the rebound battle 40-33 and scoring 22 second-chance points.

Final Score: Cumberlands 83, Simmons 62

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