LCCC Commodores Defeat Miami University-Hamilton; Fall to CC Allegheny County in 4th Annual Commodore Classic

November 4, 2023 - Lorain County Community College men's basketball split a pair of games on Saturday in the 4^th Annual Commodore Classic.  The Commodores came out victorious in the first contest against Miami University-Hamilton, 62-56, backed by the scoring of Deonte Benejan and Jayden Maxwell.

The Commodores came up short in the second contest of the afternoon against the Community College of Allegheny County, 98-79. 

Game 1

LCCC 62, Miami University-Hamilton 56

Top Commodores

Deonte Benejan (Queens, N.Y./Lorain HS) – 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 8-9 FT

Jayden Maxwell (Chicago, Ill/Buchtel CLC) – 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 3-6 3PT

Jamair Blackmon (Akron, Ohio/Barberton HS) – 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Recap

The Commodores produced a 12-0 run that started with a Maxwell three pointer and was capped off by Benejan's acrobatic layup through contact with 11:50 left in the first half, propelling them to an early 16-8 lead. The Harriers fought back and took the lead with a Josh Wildermuth three ball just past the four minute mark, 22-21, and Miami took a 28-26 lead into the half.

On the Commodores first possession of the second half, Benejan found Copen for a deep three ball and then hit a long 2-pointer a minute later to give LCCC a 32-28 lead. Over the next five minutes the Harriers used a 14-0 run to take the lead and eventually build their largest lead of the game, 44-34.

Trailing by 10, Maxwell hit two three point baskets accompanied by a pair of free throws from Benejan to help cut the Harrier lead down one possession.  Miami answered and got thier lead back up to nine with less than five to play and looked to be pulling away with a win. 

However, It would be the last points that the Harriers would score in the contest as the Commodores clamped down and put together a 14-0 run to get their first win of the season.  It started with a three pointer and an easy two in transition by Blackmon.  Then with just under three minutes left to play, Benejan connected for a three in the corner to cut the deficit to one point and force a Miami timeout.  Russell would tie the contest with a free throw and then give the Commodores the lead for good with two more points from the line with 96 seconds remaining.

Notes

• LCCC shot 33% from the field vs. the Harriers
• A third of LCCC's points came from beyond the arc, 8-29 3PT
• Jayden Maxwell tied for the game high in rebounds with 9 as well as the game high in blocks (3)
• LCCC held Miami to 28 points in each half
• Miami's largest lead was 10, LCCC's was 9

Game 2

Top Commodores

Jayden Maxwell – 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocks, 3-6 3PT

Deonte Benejan – 22 points

Austin Copen – 18 points, 4-8 3PT

Recap

The Wildcats took advantage of the Commodores playing their second game of the day and came out fast, scoring the first seven points of the game until Copen hit his first of four three pointers to kill the Wildcat surge.  Maxwell hit his only long range shot of the game a few minutes later to tie the game up at 11. LCCC still trailed for most of the first half until Russell got a tough basket in the paint to put LCCC up 31-30.  The Commodores would get their largest lead of the game with 5:02 left in the first half when they went up eight, 42-34.  The Wildcats came back with a 15-4 run to take a three point lead at the break.

Copen got the scoring going for LCCC in the early part of the second half with a layup and then a three ball on the next possession to put LCCC up 51-49.  Both teams would trade baskets until the Wildcats took the lead for good, 64-62, with 12:19 remaining.  As the Wildcats got hot, the Commodores went cold, scoring just three points, all of which coming from the free throw line, in a four minute stretch.

LCCC would climb back into the game and cut the Wildcat lead to two points with just under six minutes to play, 77-79.  CCAC called a timeout and put the defensive clamps on the Commodores holding them to two points over the final six minutes to win the game, 98-79.

Notes

• LCCC shot 47% from the field in the first half but only shot 31% in the second half
• Free throw shooting doomed the Commodores in the second half against CCAC, going 9-19.
• CCAC had five players score in double figures while LCCC had three
• CCAC scored 49 points in each half
• Jamair Blackmon had 6 rebounds and 6 assists despite playing just 17 minutes and missing most of the second half

Next Up

The Commodores will head to Wayne County Community College next Friday, November 10 & 11, 2023 to play the Wayne Wildcats and the Delta College Pioneers in the Wayne CCC Invitational.  LCCC will take on Wayne County on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and then take on the Delta on Saturday at noon.

Other Notes

Miami University-Hamilton defeated the CCAC Wildcats on Friday evening to open the Commodore Classic, 88-50.