Old Westbury Tops the Mount at Home

By Kyle Teixeira

NEWBURGH – The Mount Saint Mary College men’s basketball team lost to Old Westbury despite career-highs from Matthew Walsh and JP Egan.

The Panthers jumped out to a fast start. Conor Gemmill opened the scoring as the Knights kept it competitive early, with career-highs from Matthew Walsh and JP Egan helping Mount Saint Mary stay within striking distance. However, consistent offense was tough to come by, and Old Westbury’s physical defense forced multiple turnovers, allowing the visitors to build and maintain a lead throughout the half. The Mount would keep things close until the 5-minute mark, with Matthew Walsh tying the game at 19-19. JP Egan scored 11 of his career-best 21 points in the first half, but Old Westbury went on a 17-2 run to round out the half. At the break, the Panthers led 43–26.

In the second half, the Knights came out more assertive. Matthew Walsh continued to be aggressive, finding his spots, with JP Egan providing scoring and floor spacing, as the pair combined for 12 of the team’s first 13 points in the half. Justin Rivera, Brenden Graham, and Rob Geremino all saw extended time and made plays to keep Mount Saint Mary within reach at various points. Despite that effort, Old Westbury’s offense stayed in control, piling on points and preventing any real shift in momentum. The Panthers maintained their advantage and ultimately pulled away down the stretch, as they managed to shoot 52.5% from the field and 48.0% from deep. The final score ended with a 95–78 decision in favor of Old Westbury. While the Knights fought and had sparks from multiple contributors, they couldn’t overcome the early deficit and depth of the Panthers in this one.