Stingrays inaugural game vs. Jersey Express

Chris Ganim

The ABA’s newest team that represents the 631, the Suffolk County Stingrays commenced their inaugural game in franchise history on Saturday in Newark. They traveled to the Garden State to square off against the Jersey Express at the YMCA in Newark, NJ.

The Stingrays starting five consisted of Nick Hurowitz, Curtis Forsher, Terry Roberts, Jamel Allen, and Kevin Zhang while the Express started Yasim Hooker, Denzel Banks, Antoine Obery, Corey Chandler, and Kevin Brown in this scuffle on the hardcourt.

Chris Ganim

Chris Ganim

Janel Allen was the franchise’s points inceptor as he christened the Stingrays box score nailing a 3-pointer and giving his team a lead two minutes and eighteen seconds into the game for the first points of the Stingrays organization. Four minutes into the contest it was tied at seven and the Stingrays took a 14-13 lead after Nick Hurowitz scored a bucket.

The Express went ahead and led 32-21 at the end of the first quarter. In the second, Suffolk County cut the deficit to 32-29 then Josh Serrano threw up a layup to trim the lead to one then ensued by another Serrano layup Suffolk led 33-32. Jersey led by two shortly after and Mike Almonacy went from downtown to notch a trey and give his team a one-point lead. Almonacy chalked up two more threes with just a bit more than five minutes until halftime and his team led 49-44.

Chris Ganim

Late in the second frame the Express led by five, but Almonacy registered another triple with 55 seconds until the intermission and it was 59-57 Jersey, and that score was upheld till halftime. Early in the triadic frame the Express again led by five, but the Stingrays took the lead 70-68 after a 2-point field goal by Steve Augustine and a 3-point field goal by Josh Serrano. Jersey for the third time of the evening took a five-point lead and Almonacy once again carved into their lead unleashing another trey and it was 75-73 Express. Jersey took a larger lead and started to pull away and led 102-81 at the end of three quarters of play.

The Express had the upper hand in the fourth quarter and the final score was Jersey Express 131, Suffolk County Stingrays 122.

Chris Ganim

Mike Almonacy scored 39 points, tallied four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Josh Serrano summated seventeen points with a rebound, an assist, and a steal. Curtis Forsher registered thirteen points and reeled in three rebounds and a steal. Nick Hurowitz had ten total points, five rebounds, three assists, four steals, and a block and Jamel Allen scored thirteen, nabbed three rebounds, snared four steals, notched two assists and two blocks.

Chris Ganim

For the Express, Banks was the points leader with 35 and he made nine free throws, Yasim Hooker placed second with 29 and tallied nine rebounds, six assists, three steals, and three blocks. Obery had 21 points, hauled in twelve rebounds, with four assists and three steals. Brown scored nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals and Chandler tallied ten points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals. The Stingrays are 0-1 and the Express are 4-1.

Chris Ganim