The Old Westbury Panthers used a 17-0 run in the first half to take control of tonight's Skyline Conference game and went on to beat Maritime 96-67. With the win, the Panthers clinched a spot in the 2006 Skyline Conference playoffs with a 7-7 league record. Old Westbury is 13-11 on the season. Maritime falls to 6-17 overall and 2-10 in the conference.
Prior to tipoff, Old Westbury honored four seniors, Ramel Phillips, Michael Garrett, Russell Brereton and Jared Weir, with a pregame presentation.
After trailing 17-10 at the 12:08 mark, Old Westbury used a 17-0 run, highlighted by two three-pointers by Roman Pettway, to take a 10-point lead seven and a half minutes later. Maritime's Nikero Barbes' jumper ended the run, but Old Westbury continued to push and built its largest lead of the half, a 14-point advantage, on a three by Ramel Phillips with 3:13 remaining in the half.
Maritime pulled to within nine after tallying five-straight points, but the Panthers responded with five unanswered points and, after a three by the Privateer's Kenneth Kelly, Pettway's jumper with one second remaining left Old Westbury ahead 43-30 at the break.
In the second half, Old Westbury used a series of small runs to extend its lead to 28 on a lay-up by Nate Marner with 8:21 to play. Maritime's Robert Benton, who finished the game with 32 points, hit a three-pointer with 2:27 to play that cut the lead to 23, the closest the Privateers would come.
The Panthers took their largest lead of the game, a 30-point lead with 1:05 on a three by Garthlette James.
The Panthers shot 57% from the field and 42% from long range.
Phillips and Ian Johnson finished with 13 points each. Darnell Mayers added 12 and Pettway chipped in 10 off the bench for the Panthers. Benton shot 3-of-3 from three-point range and 11-of-11 from the free throw line for the Privateers. Timothy Dougherty added 14 for Maritime.
The Panthers will close out the 2005-06 regular season on Saturday, February 18 against Briarcliffe. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 pm.