LEAD

WATERTOWN, Wis. -- Another 30-point performance from Taylor Ball gave Maranatha a 79-73 NCCAA North Region home win over Emmaus tonight.

The win moves Maranatha above .500 for the season and 5-1 in NCCAA North Region play. Ball has now put up 30 points in four of his last five games.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 79-73 Emmaus 
• Venue: Main Gymnasium, Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Event: NCCAA North Region regular season
• Attendance: 188
• Records: MBU (6-5), EBC (0-15)

STORY

Ball didn't waste time, scoring 16 points in the first half to keep Emmaus 16 points out of sight. Jed Mayhak joined in with 10 points and the Sabercats had serious momentum entering halftime. After 20 minutes of play, Maranatha held a 37-21 lead and looked in control. On the other end of the court, Emmaus shot just 22 percent in the first half and looked unlikely to find a rhythm.

But the Eagles made it interesting in the second half - their hunger for the first win of the season was fueling their drive. Emmaus shot better than 50 percent in the second half, and Tyrus Buckner put up 22 points for Emmaus in the second half alone to make it a nervy finish for Maranatha. But late threes from Aaron Sanders and Caleb Moultrie helped keep the Eagles out of reach, as Maranatha ran away to a 79-73 win. Emmaus hit a deep shot as time expired, but it was only a consolation when all was said and done.

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Maranatha Starters: 2- T. Ball, 3- Mayhak, 4- Steuerwald, 5- Sanders, 15- Davis // Emmaus Starters: 1- Petkau, 14- Brammer, 21- Fairley, 23- Buckner, 44- Leslie

SOUND BITE

"Congrats to Coach Graw on getting his guys ready to play," said Coach Joel Borchardt after the game. "It was very tough to play against his team tonight. We're excited to get the win. Not the way we wanted to win, but we'll take it any day of the week. Definitely hoping to improve from this one and so we can get better for the next one. Just trying to take it one day at a time."

STATS

• Ball: 30 PTS, 12 REB, 2 AST
• Mayhak: 12 PTS, 7 REB
• Moultrie: 11 PTS, 2 REB
• Malachi Herbster: 10 PTS, 10 REB, 3 STL (first career double-double)
• Maranatha: 44.8 FG%
• Last time: The Sabercats won 66-60 in the 2020-21 season opener.
• Series: Maranatha now leads the series 32-4

OPPONENTS

• Emmaus competes with the Sabercats for the NCCAA North Region
• Emmaus also competes in the Midwest Christian College Conference

NEXT

The Sabercats will stay at home to face Lincoln Christian University tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Find details at mbusabercats.com/schedule.