Salem Men’s Basketball Drops Tough Road Test at Brookdale, 89–83
Carneys Point, NJ. - The Salem Community College men's basketball team saw its long winning streak snapped on the road Wednesday night, falling 89–83 to Brookdale Community College. With the loss, the Salem Mighty Oaks move to 22–1 on the season.
Salem battled throughout a physical, high-energy contest, but Brookdale capitalized late to pull away in the closing minutes. Despite shooting struggles from the perimeter, the Mighty Oaks stayed within striking distance behind strong efforts on the glass and timely scoring in transition.
Saaid Lee led the Salem starters with 17 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting night, adding four rebounds and four assists. Nasseem Wright matched him with 17 points while pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds, recording a double-double and anchoring Salem's interior presence. Zyaire Gibson chipped in nine points, while Jarrell Little added eight points and five rebounds despite facing tough defensive pressure.
Off the bench, Nayeem Johnson provided a major spark, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds in 27 minutes of action. Idris Rines added eight points, including a three-pointer, as Salem's reserves worked to close the gap in the second half.
Salem trimmed the deficit to single digits late, but Brookdale answered with key baskets down the stretch to seal the win.
The Mighty Oaks will look to bounce back quickly as they return to action on the road at Luzerne County Community College on Saturday, January 31, with tipoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.