KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Dec. 6, 2025) - The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's basketball team put together a strong second-half rally but ultimately fell, 66–57, to rival Coast Guard on Saturday afternoon at Liebertz Gymnasium. The Mariners drop to 2-4 while the Bears improve to 4-2.
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Sophomore
Aaron Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.) led all scorers with 13 points and snagged a game-best three steals, while classmate
Tim Barton (Waldorf, Md.) registered a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 boards. Freshman
Jack Flannery (McKinney, Texas) scored 11 points and dished out a team-high three assists.
USMMA fell behind early as Coast Guard knocked down a pair of threes in the opening minutes to build a quick lead. Lavergne scored the Mariners' first basket, and Barton added a jumper to keep the margin close early, but shooting struggles and turnovers allowed the Bears to respond with an extended run. Coast Guard continued to convert from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line, pushing its lead to double digits. Despite baskets inside from Zalescik and Brown, the Mariners trailed 38–19 at halftime.
Merchant Marine opened the second half with renewed energy, using defensive pressure to force turnovers and score in transition. Castleberry and Hart converted layups, then Barton and Flannery fueled a 16–0 surge that cut the deficit to 38–37 at the 14:57 mark. The Mariners tied the score again at 39–39 on a Castleberry layup, but Coast Guard answered with timely threes and a pair of transition buckets to regain momentum.
The Mariners continued to battle, getting key inside finishes from Lavergne, Zalescik, and Flannery to stay within reach down the stretch. However, Coast Guard connected on multiple late perimeter shots and added points at the foul line to keep the gap at a two-possession distance. A Lavergne layup in the final seconds capped the scoring, but Merchant Marine was unable to complete the comeback in the 66–57 final.
Merchant Marine shot 32.3% from the field but struggled from long range, finishing 1-for-20 on three-point attempts. The Mariners stayed competitive by attacking the paint, outscoring Coast Guard 34–16 inside and posting an 11–3 advantage in second-chance points thanks to 16 offensive rebounds. Coast Guard countered with its perimeter shooting and efficiency at the free-throw line, hitting 10 threes and going 16-for-19 at the stripe. The Bears also received a major boost from their bench, which produced 30 points. Despite winning points in the paint, second-chance points, and fast-break scoring, the Mariners could not overcome the early deficit and Coast Guard's timely perimeter baskets.
Coast Guard was led on offense by Trevor Parks, who dropped a game-high 17 points and five three-pointers, while Colin Huang came off the bench to contribute 15 points.
Merchant Marine hits the hardwood again on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at home against Hunter at 7 p.m. at Liebertz Gymnasium.
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