The Brookhaven Bears men’s basketball team left the home court with smiling faces on Nov. 21, having secured a 106-70 win against Jacksonville College’s Jaguars.

The game was not a close one. From the beginning, the Bears took the lead and maintained it throughout both halves.

Guard Grant Jessen scored 28 points in the 24 minutes he was off the bench, a significant uptick from his semester average of 10.3 points per game.

Guard Curtis Trey Moffett fiercely kept control of the ball throughout the game, ensuring his teammates were set up to score. Moffett’s teamwork showed in his stats, as he made 10 assists overall.

Forward Jesse Klein pushed through the Jaguar’s defenses at every turn.  It was a balanced game for Bears players. The significant lead the Bears secured early on allowed Christopher McGill, head coach of the Bears, to frequently switch out starting and reserve players. By the game’s end, every player had at least seven minutes off the bench.

Despite the clean win, it was not an entirely smooth experience for the Bears. Guard and forward Javier Espino sustained a chin injury mid-game, being sent to the side to be patched up. However, Espino was back off the bench in no time, and spent more time on the court than any other reserve player, with 25 minutes.

The court was not just a host to basketball players and their audience. Spencer Pattinson, an employee at UT Tyler, broadcast the game live. Pattinson said he volunteers at various colleges, which do not usually have broadcasts.

With a definitive victory against Jacksonville, the Bears are off to a good start to the season.

McGill said: “They did exactly what we needed them to do. We just pushed this defense in yesterday and they did a pretty good job. There are holes and things we need to fix, but overall I’m pleased with their energy.”