box score
ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - Junior guard Jean Georges (Vauxhal, NJ/Spotswood), left, recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Caldwell College men's basketball team to an 82-56 victory over Mercy College in the first game of the Dominican College New Year's Tournament Wednesday evening at the Hennessy Center. The win, which is Caldwell head coach Mark Corino's 397th career victory, gives the Cougars a 5-8 record overall. Mercy, which plays in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference, falls to 3-6.

Georges helped the Cougars get off to a quick start, scoring seven of his team's first 14 points as Caldwell built a 10-point advantage in the game's first four minutes. The lead grew to 20 points after a 12-0 spree midway through the first half gave the Cougars a 32-12 lead with 5:57 remaining in the half. But the Flyers finished the half strong with a 15-8 run that sent the teams into the break with the score 40-27 in favor of Caldwell.

The Cougars' hot start in the second half effectively put the game out of reach. Georges scored six points in a 10-2 Caldwell run punctuated by a steal and dunk that made the score 52-29 with 16:50 on the clock. The Flyers would get no closer than 19 points the rest of the way, as Caldwell led by as many as 33 points in the second half. The Cougars shot a season-high 51.7 percent from the field for the game while out-rebounding Mercy 40-26.

Georges, whose 10 boards are a career high, has led the Cougars in scoring in four of the team's five victories this season and six times overall. Sophomore forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg Harbor) scored 15 points off the bench, and sophomore forward B.J. Suchy (Ronkonkoma, NY/Our Savior), right, added 11 points and seven rebounds to help the Cougars win their second game in a row. For Corino, the win improves his overall coaching record to 397-256 in 23 seasons as a head coach.

The Cougars close out the Dominican College New Year's Tournament with a game against N.Y.I.T. on Thursday, Jan. 5, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The Bears defeated the host Chargers 78-72 in Wednesday night's second game.