Catonsville, Md – CCBC-Catonsville did not have an answer for sophomore guard Trevor Howze (Patterson/Baltimore, Md), who scored a team high 15 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the three point line as the BCCC Panthers (12-11; 7-7 MD JUCO Conference) held off the Cardinals (7-14; 3-10 MD JUCO Conferene) 83-73 for their seventh win in the MD JUCO Conference. 

Howze led the team with 15 points, six rebounds and two steals followed by sophomore and NJCAA All-American John Williams (Mervo/Baltimore, Md) with 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

BCCC opened the first half of play with a 30- 19 run, setting the tempo of the game which they eventually lost at the end of the first half.  The Panthers turned the ball over eleven times and committed to four fouls with less than four minutes before halftime.  Through clutch free throws, BCCC allowed CCBC-Catonsville to sneak its way back into the game to cut their deficit under 10 points at the end of the first half, 43-34.

Not only scoring points off of turnovers and fouls, CCBC-Catonsville inched closer to taking the lead behind the play of Tyrone Smothers.  Smothers scored a game high 17 points and 12 of those points were scored in the second half of play. 

The Panthers stepped up its production in the second half by shooting 15-of-30 (50%) from the field to maintain their lead.  BCCC was able to match the intensity they had in the opening minutes of the game and controlled it throughout the second half.  CCBC-Catonsville was able to pull within four points but the Panthers were able to keep their lead and win against head coach Randy Gregory and the Cardinals for their 10^th conference game loss of the season.   

The Panthers were also led by freshman forward Carlos Smith (Forest Park/Baltimore, Md), ending the game with 13 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, two steals and three assists.  While freshman guard Byron Westmoreland (Mervo/Baltimore, Md) finished the game with another double-double to his record scoring 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Next game for the Panthers will be tentatively scheduled for this Saturday, February 6^th against MC-Germantown in the Athletic Center at BCCC.  Due to the weather forecast, the conference game might be rescheduled for a later date yet to be determined.

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