Mike Boornazian scored 23 points to lead Bates past Berkeley (N.Y.) on Dec. 30, 2013 at the Salem State Holiday Classic. File photo by Sarah Crosby/Bates College.

SALEM, Mass. -- Sophomore guard Mike Boornazian scored 23 points for the second time in under 24 hours, earning Team MVP honors and leading the Bates men's basketball team to a 97-73 victory over Berkeley (N.Y.) College on Monday in the Salem State Holiday Classic at the Twohig Gymnasium.

The Bobcats (7-3) outmuscled the Knights on the boards, 54-33, including 28 offensive rebounds. Bates also shot field goals at a 43.1 percent clip (31-72), while limiting Berkeley to 39.0% (23-59).

Berkeley (5-6) guard Keenan Langston was one of three Knights to score 14 points, an dhe was named Team MVP. Mario Guzman and Jovan Bovell also scored 14 apiece. Elijah Craig grabbed nine rebounds for the Knights.

Boornazian (Portland, Conn.) shot 8-of-16 from the field, including 4-7 from three-point territory. He added six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior guard Graham Safford, meanwhile, scored 17 points, making 3-of-5 on 3-pointers, to go with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. First-year brothers Marcus and Malcolm Delpeche (Wilmington, Del.) combined for 21 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots in the game.

Berkeley struggled early on with ball security, turning the ball over multiple times. Bates looked to their freshmen post players early on, with Marcus and Malcolm Delpeche combining for 13 points and 8 rebounds in the first half. Junior Billy Selmon (Atlanta, Ga.) added nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Boornazian scored 14 points on five of nine shooting along with four rebounds and two assists. 

Guzman (New York, NY) scored 10 points in the half for Berkeley, but Bates entered the second half with a commanding 56-36 lead.
Bates for the second day in a row came out strong to start the second half, scoring four quick fast-break points off two full-court passes by Safford. Junior Adam Philpott (Gloucester, Mass.) knocked down one of two free throws to give Bates their largest lead of the night (28), putting the score at 82-56 with 8:10 left to play. The Knights showed a little life as they went on a 12-2 run to cut the lead to 16 to put the score at 84-68 with just under three minutes remaining. 
Bates faces a tough non-conference foe at Brandeis on Jan. 7 at 7pm, before embarking on the NESCAC schedule on Jan. 10 at Middlebury.