Sophomore Demarion Bariffe-Smith of Skokie, Ill., led six players in double figures with 18 points as the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) men's basketball team closed out 2019 with a 98-49 win over Quakerdale Prep Academy (QPA) December 17 inside the DMACC gymnasium.
Sophomore Zach Lester of Clear Lake, freshman Ryan Schmitt of Van Meter and freshman Mike Hartford of McKinney, Texas scored 15 points apiece, sophomore Barlow Alleruzzo of Chicago, Ill., got 13 points and freshman John Herrick of Boone added 12 as the Bears improved to 12-2 for the season with their fifth consecutive victory.
DMACC, which moved into fifth place in the most recent Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), led 43-17 at halftime.
The Bears shot 60 percent, connecting on 42 of 70 field goal attempts. They were 5-of-19 from three-point range and 9-of-15 from the free throw line.
Alleruzzo, Schmitt and Herrick came away with seven rebounds apiece, leading DMACC to a 45-33 advantage on the boards. Freshman Willie Guy of Cedar Rapids dished out a team-high eight assists and Lester led the Bears in steals with six.
The DMACC men's basketball team is idle until Jan. 3 and 4 when the Bears will play a pair of games in Chicago, Ill. DMACC will face Richard J. Daley College (RJDC) on Jan. 3 and will play McHenry County College (MCC) on Jan. 4.
