DUNDALK, Md. — Harford Community College men's basketball had five players in double figures and shot 59 percent from the field to defeat No. 17 CCBC Dundalk 99-86 on Wednesday night at The Den.
The Fighting Owls (15-13, 11-6) led from start to finish, taking a 51-46 advantage into halftime before scoring 48 points in the second half to secure the Region 20 road victory over the nationally ranked (Division II) Lions.
"I'm really proud of how our players had a next play mentality," said Harford head coach Solomon Zurier. "We had three guys foul out and another go down with an injury. But different guys were ready to settp up and make plays. It was a total team win."
Harford's offense was paced by Israel Bosenge (Democratic Republic of the Congo) who scored a team-high 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds off the bench. Tre Powell (Friendship Collegiate) followed with 24 points, knocking down six 3-pointers and grabbing nine rebounds in a 40-minute effort.
The Fighting Owls established an offensive rhythm early, using perimeter shooting and interior scoring to build the initial lead. Powell connected on four of his six threes in the first half, while Bosenge provided efficient scoring in the paint and at the free-throw line. Harford shot 54.5 percent from the field and made nine 3-pointers in the opening half, allowing the visitors to maintain control despite Dundalk's strong free-throw shooting (20-23).
CCBC Dundalk (19-5, 7-3) stayed within reach behind Victor Ezeh, who led all scorers with 30 points, and Tyler Baldwin, who added 20. The Lions attempted to close the gap at the foul line, converting 20 free throws in the first half, but Harford countered with consistent half-court execution and transition scoring.
The Fighting Owls extended their advantage midway through the second half by capitalizing on turnovers and second-chance opportunities. Harford finished with 34 points off turnovers and 13 second-chance points while continuing to shoot efficiently, hitting 64.3 percent of its shots after the break.
A 3-pointer from Theo Hess (Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia), who scored nine points on a 3-for-5 performance from beyond the arc, helped push the lead to double digits during the latter portion of the half. Harford's largest lead reached 18 points with just over six minutes remaining.
Dundalk attempted to respond with aggressive drives and additional trips to the free-throw line, finishing 33-of-46 at the stripe, but struggled to generate consistent field-goal production. The Lions shot 39.3 percent overall and made just 5 of 28 attempts from 3-point range.
Harford continued to receive balanced contributions throughout the lineup. Justus Stanton (Newtown) scored 12 points, while Anthony "Tony" Pope (Gwynn Park) added 11 points and a team-high seven assists. Donovan Peterson (Severn, Md.) chipped in eight points, and Kehdinga "Junior" Tutuwan (Blake) supplied six points and three rebounds off the bench.
The Fighting Owls controlled the paint with 48 points inside and held a 39-10 advantage in bench scoring, highlighted by Bosenge's performance. Harford also limited mistakes during key stretches, committing 14 turnovers while forcing 15 from Dundalk.
CCBC Dundalk received 14 points and eight rebounds from Cristian Viafara, while Nas'Zaire Simmons contributed nine points and four rebounds. Despite winning the rebounding battle 37-34, the Lions were unable to overcome Harford's shooting efficiency and turnover margin.
Harford did not trail after the opening minutes, and the contest featured no lead changes after the Owls established their early advantage.
The victory gives Harford a key win over a ranked opponent as the regular season nears its conclusion.
The Fighting Owls return home on Tuesday, Feb. 24, when they host Harcum College at APG Federal Credit Union Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
