Merritt Island took care of business in their home opener on Tuesday. They managed a 61-55 win over the Cocoa Beach Minutemen. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Mustangs as it put an end to their four-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Merritt Island got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Jayce Brandes out in front who went 7 for 11 en route to 16 points plus seven steals. Braeden Rouleau was another key player, going 6 for 9 en route to 13 points plus five rebounds and five steals.
Merritt Island was working as a unit and finished the game with 22 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cocoa Beach only racked up ten.
Defeat or not, Cocoa Beach got some senior leadership from Jayesiah Carr and Garrett Ronsisvalle. Carr went 8 for 16 en route to 17 points plus seven rebounds and three steals, while Ronsisvalle went 5 for 10 en route to 12 points plus six assists and six steals. What's more, Carr also posted a 25% three-point shooting accuracy, which is the highest he's posted since back in December of 2023. Another player making a difference was Lukas Stevens, who posted ten points along with three steals.
Merritt Island has already played their next game, a 56-55 loss against Bayside on the 21st. As for Cocoa Beach, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next matchup, a 50-41 defeat against Palm Bay on the 21st.
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