CRESSON, Pa. - The Mount Aloysius men's basketball team officially tipped off its 2026-27 campaign on Monday evening, welcoming the Juniata College Eagles to the Athletic, Convocation and Wellness Center (ACWC). Despite a competitive start, the Mounties ultimately fell to the Eagles, 88-67, in the season opener for both programs.
Monday's contest marked the beginning of a new era for Mount Aloysius basketball, as first-year head coach Pat Martinelli made his collegiate head coaching debut. With a revamped roster featuring several new faces, Martinelli's starting lineup included four newcomers alongside lone returning starter Troy Tinch (Baltimore, Md., Calvert Hall).
The Mounties wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, striking first to take an early lead. However, Juniata quickly found its offensive rhythm, responding with an 11-0 run to take an 11-3 advantage just four minutes into the contest.
Mount Aloysius refused to go away, answering with a run of its own to erase the early deficit and even the score at 16-16. The Mounties' response forced Juniata to call a timeout as the home crowd came alive inside the ACWC.
Unfortunately for the Mounties, the Eagles continued their hot shooting throughout the remainder of the opening half. Juniata connected on 57.1 percent of its field goal attempts (16-of-28) in the first 20 minutes, including four three-pointers, to regain control of the contest. The Eagles eventually built an 18-point advantage heading into the locker room, leading 47-29 at halftime.
Despite facing a sizable deficit, Mount Aloysius showed improvement offensively coming out of the break. The Mounties increased their shooting percentage from 34.6 percent in the first half to 46.2 percent in the second, while finding success from beyond the arc. Mount Aloysius knocked down five of its nine three-point attempts in the final 20 minutes, shooting an impressive 55.6 percent from deep.
The Mounties also outscored their first-half total with 38 second-half points, but Juniata continued to answer offensively, adding 41 points of its own after halftime to maintain its advantage. The Eagles' efficient shooting and dominance on the glass ultimately proved too much to overcome, as Juniata secured the 88-67 victory.
Joshua Henderson (Dallas, Tex., Prince of Peace) led the way for Mount Aloysius in his debut, finishing with a team-high 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. Henderson was perfect from the free-throw line, converting all six of his attempts, while also dishing out three assists.
Tinch, the lone returning starter in Martinelli's opening lineup, contributed 11 points and six rebounds. The returning Mountie also went a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, providing a veteran presence for the young squad.
Noah Wright (Penn Trafford, Pa. , Penn Trafford) added nine points, connecting on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, while also recording a team-high four assists. Off the bench, Jack Bryan (Melbourne, Australia, Trinity Grammar School Kew) provided a spark with eight points and a team-best seven rebounds, shooting an efficient 4-of-6 from the floor. Miguel Martinez (Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Arlington) also contributed eight points in just 12 minutes of action, knocking down both of his three-point attempts.
Donovahn Keyes (Stafford, Va., Fairfax Christian ) and Louis Couch (Centreville, Va. , Southern Maryland Christian Academy) each added five points, with Keyes recording a team-high three steals and Couch contributing two steals and a blocked shot.
As a team, Mount Aloysius shot 40.4 percent (21-of-52) from the field and 40.9 percent (9-of-22) from three-point range. The Mounties also converted 16 of their 23 free-throw attempts and recorded 14 assists on 21 made field goals.
The Eagles finished the evening shooting 50.8 percent (32-of-63) from the floor and 40 percent (8-of-20) from three-point range. Juniata also held a 40-27 rebounding advantage, including 15 offensive rebounds that helped produce 18 second-chance points compared to just three for Mount Aloysius.
Next Up:
Mount Aloysius (0-1) will hit the road for the first time this season as the Mounties travel to New Wilmington, Pa., to compete in the Buzz Ridl Classic, hosted by Westminster College. The Mounties will open the two-day event on Friday, November 13, against the host Westminster Titans at 8:00 p.m., before returning to action on Saturday, November 14, to face the Thiel College Tomcats at 5:00 p.m. Both contests will be played inside Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.
Friday night's matchup against Westminster will carry additional significance for first-year Mount Aloysius head coach Pat Martinelli, as he will square off against a familiar face in Titans head coach David Richards. Martinelli previously served as an assistant coach under Richards during their time together at Chatham University, where the duo helped guide the Cougars to two Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championships, capturing conference titles in both 2019 and 2023. In his first year at the helm at Westminster, Richards led the Titans to a PAC Championship game, where they ultimately fell to W&J 68-61.
Now leading their own respective programs, the former coaching colleagues will meet on opposite sidelines as Martinelli looks to earn his first career victory as a collegiate head coach. The Mounties will look to bounce back from Monday's season opener and build momentum during their first road trip of the 2026-27 campaign.
#GoMounties
