MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Maryville men's basketball program closed out its weekend trip to Georgia with a dominant 68-53 win over the Berry Vikings.
The victory moves the Scots to 2-0 on the season, while the Vikings fall to 1-1. The long-running series has been dominated by Maryville. Across 14 years and 13 meetings, the Scots have now won nine straight and 12 total. Berry's single win came in November 2022, a 72-65 decision on Maryville's home court. Overall, the Scots have tallied 1,026 points against the Vikings for an average of 78.9 er matchup.
Head Coach
Raul Placeres praised the way his team rose to the challenge of opening weekend. "We knew it was going to be a tough weekend – not just because of the travel, but because both teams we faced were conference champions last year," Placeres said. "It was really nice to see us come on the road and handle our business the way we did. The biggest thing I'm excited about is the way we played defense."
Chase Morgan powered Maryville, dropping 29 points on an 81.3 percent shooting while adding eight rebounds, four blocks, and two assists. Senior guard
Jackson Garner followed with 14 points, two boards, and a steal. The trio of
Matt Schneider,
Jamal Ware, and
Jaylon Green combined for 19 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Freshmen
Jett Sutton and
Bryce Curtis also made their collegiate debuts.
Placeres highlighted Schneider's immediate impact since his arrival from Division II Missouri Western. "He's acclimated himself within the group really well, and that's the most important thing," Placeres said. "He's become a guy we really need game in and game out. I really appreciate his mindset and how hard he's worked."
Maryville turned in a strong shooting performance, hitting 50.0 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from three, and 87.5 percent at the line. Their ability to create and convert high-percentage shots inside led to 36 points in the paint, and they capitalized on Berry's mistakes with 13 points off turnovers.
Berry opened the afternoon with a quick layup, but Maryville answered immediately when Ware jumped a passing lane and fed Morgan in transition to tie it 2-2. The teams traded baskets through the early minutes, but once the Scots reclaimed the lead at the 15:18 mark, they never looked back. A late first-half-surge, fueled by scoring from Schneider, Morgan, Green, and Garner, plus a three-pointer form
Kobe Franklin, pushed the lead to 42-22. Morgan punctuated the half with a layup at the buzzer. "One thing that won't show up in the box score is how Jamal guarded their best player today," Placeres said. "He set the tone for how hard we were going to play defensively. That first half was huge."
Morgan opened the second half with a layup off a
Javi Rosell assist before the Scots hit an eight-minute scoring drought. Ware snapped the dip with a pair of free throws, and his energy reignited the offense. A three from Garner and a fast-break dunk from Morgan followed within 30 seconds, and Maryville controlled the rest of the afternoon.
David Stone closed Maryville scoring with a free throw to secure the 68-53 victory.
While the Scots head to Illinois later this week to face at least one nationally ranked opponent, Placeres stressed that their focus remains on what is directly in front of them. "I take it day by day," Placeres said. "We have another formidable opponent of Tuesday in Sewanee, and that's where our attention is. We'll tackle Friday and Saturday when we get there."
Maryville returns to play Tuesday, November 11 at 7:00 PM CT, traveling to face the Sewanee Tigers.
