The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s basketball team is rewriting history, and they did it in thrilling fashion on Monday night.
A heart-stopping 74-70 win At longtime nemesis Norfolk State, the Falcons not only went undefeated in MEAC play, but were off to their best conference start in half a century.
“This start to conference play is consistent with the vision the University leadership had for this program when they hired me,” said head coach Cleo Hill. “Our goal was to breathe new life into this program. I think the coaching staff has done a great job of bringing in the right type of players to this point, and we’ve taken great steps to restore our pride while honoring the rich history of UMES basketball.”
The Hawks (3-0 MEAC) wasted no time in announcing their intentions. Behind five quick-point guard Jaden Cooper’s early buckets and Dorion Staples’ long-range shot, UMES took an 11-6 lead. The energy inside the Hytche Athletic Center was electric as Michael Teal edged the opening wave to a tight finish.
Norfolk State trailed 7-0 but a Sion Oban strike silenced the rally and re-ignited the home crowd. From there, the night turned into a tug-of-war with both teams exchanging shots and the lead changing 11 times by halftime. UMES led 32-31 at halftime – still a whisper of the drama to come.
When the Falcons’ shooting went cold early in the second half, the Spartans took advantage, taking a 43-39 lead. Obanla, a 6’8″ forward from Nigeria, took over then. He scored 18 of his game-high 20 points after halftime, hit layups, muscled through layups and got his team back into contention.
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Best performers:
Sion Obanler | 20 points and 8 rbs
Jaden Cooper |19 points (10-for-10 FT)
Michael Teal | 14 points and 5 assistsRecap will be available https://t.co/vaqyY6GmK0. pic.twitter.com/R8bKSi9y8X
— 🏀 (@UMESHawksHoops) January 13, 2026
Every time Norfolk State found daylight, UMES responded with toughness, defense and clutch shooting.
With just over a minute remaining and UMES trailing by three, Obanla hit a free throw to pull within two. Then came the defining moment: Dorion Staples was fouled on a drive and coolly buried both shots to tie it at 68. Seconds later, Michael Teal muscled in a go-ahead bucket to make it 69-68 Hawks. From there, Justin Monden and Cooper — a rarity at the line — sealed it with four straight free throws, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Cooper had a perfect 10-for-10 performance from the stripe, finishing with 19 points. Teal added 14 points and five assists, Staples had 10 and six boards, and Oban held eight to nearly outplay Norfolk State.
For a team that had dropped nine of its last ten games to the Spartans, the win was more than a redemption — it was a statement. Now 3-0 in league play, UMES hasn’t started MEAC competition this hot since 1976, long before the program’s Division I era began.
As the final buzzer sounded and the scoreboard flashed the final score, one thing was certain – the Falcons are no longer just contenders. They make history one game at a time.
