CHICAGO – Five Lakers reached double figures to propel the Roosevelt men's basketball team past a game East-West side, 84-79, on the opening night of the 2016 Roosevelt New Year's Classic inside the Goodman Center on Thursday.
Korey Ryan led the Lakers (6-9) with 19 points, while Jake Ludwig and Joshua Dillingham scored 13 points apiece as the latter added 10 rebounds for another double-double effort.
Jake Asquini and Adam Alexander tallied 12 points each. Alexander was five-for-five from the floor in the first half, while Asquini made four three-point buckets on five shots off the bench.
Devonte Smith led all scorers with 45 points for the Phantoms, who gave the Lakers all they could handle for the second time this season.
The first half was tightly contested, and Roosevelt created some separation by going up 15 early in the second half.
East-West climbed back into the game on the back of Smith, who carried the guests with his offensive prowess. The Phantoms got within four late, but the Lakers made key buckets late to put the game out of reach.
"We were sloppy on both sides of the ball tonight, and we are lucky we got the win against a scrappy East-West team," Roosevelt head coach Joe Griffin said after the win. "Not only did they turn us over 19 times, but when they didn't turn us over, they sped us up into rushed decisions and our decision-making and sense of time and score were disappointing. Give Smith a lot of credit as well. He was in foul trouble the whole game but managed to drop 45 points and eight rebounds on us on 18-for-26 shooting. He flat-out kicked our butts.
"The good news is that we get to move on to a very challenging team in Madonna tomorrow, who took St. Francis right to the wire today, so maybe we can play up to our capabilities."
Roosevelt plays Madonna (Mich.) on Friday at 5 p.m. to cap the Roosevelt New Year's Classic. The Crusaders fell to St. Francis (Ill.) in the event opener by a final of 85-79. The Fighting Saints will play East-West in Friday's first game at 3 p.m. inside the Goodman Center.
