Box Score WICHITA - The Newman men's basketball team started off the 2012-2013 season strong, defeating the Tabor Blue Jays 97-60 Monday night in front of a packed house inside Fugate Gymnasium.  Shamar Acuay led the charge for the Jets with 21 points on the night.
 
The Jets struggled to find a groove in the first few minutes of regulation, but a two-point shot by senior Bobby Wesley opened the floodgates, as the Jets scored 14 unanswered points to jump out to a 16-3 lead early in the first half.  Blue Jay senior Ryan Chippeaux attempted to spark the Tabor offense with a pair of free throws followed by a layup to cut the lead to 20-13 with six minutes to play in the half, but sophomore Ryan McCarthy brought an end to the Jays' run by draining a three pointer.  The teams matched each other shot for shot over the final minutes of the first half, and the Jets took a 35-25 lead into halftime. 
 
Newman carried its first half momentum through halftime, starting off the second half with a 9-0 run to put the men up 44-25 at the 17:57 mark.  The Jets dominated the second half of the game, displaying an offense that Tabor never found an answer for.  A pair of three-pointers from Mike Falvo gave the Jets their largest lead of the game, a 42-point margin, with 1:13 to play in the second half. 
 
The Jets' offense was deadly from beyond the arc in the second half, shooting 64 percent (7-11) from downtown.  Newman had two scorers reach double digits, Acuay and junior Marquis Cuyler, who had 12 points in the win.  As a team, the Jets outrebounded the Blue Jays 33-27, and limited the Jays to just 26 percent (5-19) on three pointers. 
 
With the win, the Jets move to 1-0 on the season (0-0 Heartland).  For their next game, Newman will host Manhattan Christian College Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Fugate Gymnasium.