No. 3 Mighty Oaks Top No. 8 Montgomery County in Ranked Showdown, 77–71
Carneys Point, NJ. - The No. 3 nationally ranked Salem Community College Mighty Oaks earned a statement win on Wednesday night, defeating No. 8 Montgomery County Community College 77–71 in a highly competitive matchup between two of the nation's top teams.
The game featured playoff-level intensity from start to finish, with both sides trading runs and battling for every possession. Salem leaned on balanced scoring, timely shooting, and defensive toughness down the stretch to secure the victory and improve to 24–1 on the season.
Nasseem Wright led the Mighty Oaks with a strong all-around performance, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and six steals. Saaid Lee added 14 points and three assists, while Zyaire Gibson knocked down three three-pointers on his way to 11 points. Stefan Phillips was efficient off the bench and in the starting lineup, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Jarrell Little anchored the effort inside with a double-double of 10 rebounds and six assists, and Nayeem Johnson provided a spark off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds. Salem's depth and defensive pressure proved to be the difference late, as the Mighty Oaks closed out the ranked opponent at the free-throw line.
Salem will look to keep the momentum going when they return home to host Harrisburg Area Community College on Thursday, February 5, at the DuPont Fieldhouse.