Late Push Falls Short as Essex Men Drop 89–78 Decision at Delaware Tech

 Dover, Del.- The Essex County College men's basketball team battled throughout but came up short in an 89–78 road loss to Delaware Technical Community College on Friday night.

Essex kept the game close early, trailing just 45–39 at halftime after an up-tempo first half. The Wolverines continued to compete in the second half, matching Delaware Tech with 39 points, but were unable to overcome the early deficit as the home team maintained control down the stretch.

Gavin Wright and Ethan Laquindanum paced Essex with 14 points apiece. Wright attacked the basket and went 7-for-10 from the free-throw line, while Laquindanum added four assists and knocked down six field goals. Emard Babacap provided a strong presence off the bench, scoring 11 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds.

Jason Martinez contributed nine points and two steals, while Carl Matala added eight points, including a pair of three-pointers. Rodney Willis Jr. controlled the glass with eight rebounds and added a block on the defensive end.

Essex finished with 35 rebounds and recorded 11 assists, but struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 4-for-22 from three-point range. Despite forcing turnovers and earning trips to the free-throw line, Delaware Tech's balanced scoring and consistent offense proved to be the difference.

The Wolverines will look to regroup and build on the competitive effort as they continue conference play.