Photo - Walt Rybczynski

JAMESTOWN – Looking to snap a six-game skid, the Jamestown Community College men's basketball team was able to holdoff Villa Maria College Monday evening with a score of 78-74.

The Jayhawks (7-14) got a huge lift from freshman guard Jalyn Moorehead (Rochester, NY/Southerland HS) with 15 points off the bench to lead the team in scoring. Sophomore forward Traden Gray (Frewsburg, NY/Frewsburg HS) had 14 points with sophomore guard Elgin Oliver (Pittsburgh, PA/Gateway Senior HS) adding 12 points. Sophomore forward Gonzalo Luque (Madrid, Spain/Instituto Ortega y Gasset) played an important role in off-ball situations, coming away with seven assists and seven boards.

After a half of action, JCC was in control with a 45-34 lead thanks in part to going 18-for-32 (56.3 percent) from the floor. Sophomore guard Brian Fajardo (Bronx, NY/Aeci Charter HS) went 3-for-4 (75 percent) and hard  a team-high eight points with Oliver adding seven points.

To start the second half of play, the Vikings used an 18-4 run to help gain the lead of the game with the score of 52-49 with under 13 minutes left in regulation. Oliver quickly tied the game back up with a three-pointer to go along with a Josiah Diaz (Pawtucket, RI/Springfield Commonwealth Academy) to get the lead back in favor of JCC.

The Jayhawks were able to maintain the lead over the next eight minutes of play but it was until an 8-0 run when they were able to pull away. After a made jumper from Gray and back-to-back three pointers from Moorehead and sophomore forward Santiago Manero (Galicia, Spain) gave JCC a 69-60 lead in the closing minutes.

With less than a minute to go until the final horn and Villa Maria needing to foul, the Jayhawks knew who mut possess the ball in that situation. Moorehead went a perfect 6-for-6 (100 percent) from the charity stripe to help salt the game away.

The Jayhawks went 29-for-62 (46.8 percent) from the floor while the Vikings went 22-for-62 (35.5 percent) from the field. The Jayhawks also took what the defense gave them in shot selections as they went 11-for-24 (45.8 percent) from beyond the arc. JCC held a slight edge on the glass, grabbing 42 rebounds to Villa Maria's 40.

The Jayhawks will be back in action this Wednesday, February 1st, as they travel to Monroe Community College for Region 3 action with tip slated for 7:00 p.m.