Salem CC pounds Harrisburg Area to earn 20th win, first 20-win season in 20 years; Fortune continues his hot streak
By Riverview Sports News
HARRISBURG, Pa. – There are just certain numbers in sports that exude excellence – 100 hits, 1,000 points, 20 wins.
The Salem CC basketball team hit one of those benchmarks Saturday, securing win No. 20 in a 95-78 pasting of Harrisburg Area CC.
It left the Mighty Oaks 20-7.
“Twenty feels great,” coach Mike Green said. “It’s a number in college basketball that is considered a successful season everywhere I’ve been. It’s really hard to do. Not too many teams are winning 20 games in one year. Out of 360-some basketball teams, I’m sure there’s not half of them that’s getting to 20. It’s a big deal.”
“We’ve got to celebrate for coach,” sophomore Tyrese Fortune said. “It’s his second year here, so that’s a big accomplishment.”
It’s the Mighty Oaks’ first 20-win season in 20 years and second in 30. The 2004-05 team went 20-10. The 1994-95 team was 20-6.
“I feel like it’s a new day, it’s a new regime, we’re getting different type of players in,” Green said. “It’s a testament of the work that’s been put in before, but, more important, the work that we’ve been putting in.”
Fortune continued his hot streak. He led the Mighty Oaks’ offense with 22 points, his third 20-point effort in the last four games. In that stretch he is 18-for-18 from the free throw line.
Xavier Brewington had 20 points and Tamir Powell had 18. Guard A.J. Jones had 15 rebounds and Jyheim Spencer, one of the nation’s leading rebounders, pulled down 10 and also blocked four shots.
The Mighty Oaks played without leading scorer Akeem Taylor to rest him for the postseason. They wrap up the regular season Saturday at Sussex County CC and it’s doubtful he’ll play in that one, either.
When asked if it were likely the sophomore would play in that one, Green said, “I don’t think so.”
SALEM CC SCORING: Tyrese Fortune 22, Xavier Brewington 20, Tamir Powell 18, Josh Ramos 8, Jyheim Spencer 7, A.J. Jones 6, Stefan Phillips 4, Dontarius Jones 4, Tivon Woolford 3, Tajee Jordan 2, Rodney Shelton 1.
Region XIX standings
Here are the men’s Region XIX basketball standings; games through Feb. 8
| MEN’S DIVISION III (x-based on percentage) | REGION | ALL |
| Union | 15-0 (1.000) | 19-3 |
| Montgomery | 14-2 (.875) | 18-4 |
| Philadelphia | 14-3 (.824) | 18-7 |
| Camden | 13-4 (.765) | 16-10 |
| Northampton | 12-4 (.750) | 20-4 |
| Salem | 12-5 (.706) | 20-7 |
| Brookdale | 11-6 (.647) | 16-7 |
| Ocean | 9-6 (.600) | 14-7 |
| Atlantic Cape | 10-7 (.588) | 13-12 |
| RCSJ-Gloucester | 9-8 (.529) | 11-15 |
| Passaic | 7-9 (.438) | 11-13 |
| Lehigh Carbon | 6-11 (.353) | 7-16 |
| Sussex | 5-11 (.353) | 7-18 |
| Delaware County | 5-12 (.294) | 7-16 |
| Luzerne | 4-11 (.267) | 6-13 |
| Harrisburg Area | 4-12 (.250) | 5-18 |
| Thaddeus Stevens | 3-14 (.176) | 4-17 |
| Bergen | 3-15 (.167) | 4-19 |
| RCSJ-Cumberland | 0-16 (.000) | 0-24 |
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Salem 95, Harrisburg Area 78
Bergen 81, Montgomery 80
Union 78, Camden 71
Harcum at CCBC Dundalk, cancelled
Lackawanna 69, Rockland CC 66
RCSJ-Gloucester 97, Passaic 64
Delaware County 91, Sussex 66
Orange County CC 87, Essex 73
Lehigh Carbon 92, Philadelphia 73
Ocean 90, RCSJ-Cumberland 67
Northampton 89, Atlantic Cape 88
Luzerne at Brookdale
Delaware Tech at Howard CC, cancelled
TUESDAY’S GAMES
Passaic at Luzerne
Harrisburg Area at Sussex
Misericordia JV at Thaddeus Stevens
Philadelphia at RCSJ-Cumberland
Northampton at Lehigh Carbon
Montgomery at Union
Rockland at Mercer
Delaware at Williamson Trades
Ocean at Camden
Morris at Lackawanna
Riverview Sports News 