News Release

HENNIKER, N.H. — New England College men’s basketball defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology 77-70 in a tight conference game for both teams. The win improves the Pilgrims to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), while the loss drops the Leopards to 8-7 overall and 4-3 in the CCC.

NEC got off to a quick start in the first half, as the score stood at 15-17 mid-way through the first period. By the half the Pilgrims extended their lead to 35-30. NEC’s Patrick Quinn (Holbrook, N.Y.) started off the second half with a three-pointer to put the Pilgrims up 36-32. The Leopards would battle back, but Kingsley Onyechi (Lowell, Mass.) followed up with a quick jump-shot at 18:50 to keep the ‘Grims ahead 38-34. Wentworth junior forward Frankie Hall (Boston, Mass.) was on fire for the Leopards making two jumpers with just eight minutes left as the clock was ticking down to make the score 61-53. That wasn’t enough for the Leopards though. The teams exchanged fouls as the last minute winded down, and NEC pulled out the 77-70 win.

Quinn led all scorers with 26 points, while Onyechi completed a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. NEC’s Ryan Jaziri (Norwich, Conn.) also had a day for the Pilgrims scoring 19 points. Hall had 20 points, and Sherrad Prezzie-Blue (Norwalk, Conn.) finished with 17 points and four rebounds for the Leopards.

At Henniker, N.H. (Bridges Gym)
NEW ENGLAND COL. 77, WENTWORTH 70
WENTWORTH (8-7, 4-3 CCC)
Frankie Hall 10-15 0-0 20; Sherrad Prezzie-Blue 7-12 2-2 17; Jason DaCosta
3-6 3-4 9; Bryan Gaine 3-10 2-4 8; Weonard Bynes 3-8 1-1 7; Brad Bryant 2-6
0-0 5; Todd Doyle 1-8 2-2 4; Vin Milano 0-1 0-0 0; Jeff Cappa 0-0 0-0 0; Gil
Ward 0-0 0-2 0; Ed Bolton 0-0 0-0 0; Rob Fernandes 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-66
10-15 70.
NEW ENGLAND COL. (8-6, 3-2 CCC)
Patrick Quinn 6-10 13-13 26; Kingsley Onyechi 7-11 5-5 19; Ryan Jaziri 8-14
2-2 19; Antoine Sylvia 2-4 0-0 4; Bobby Montrond 1-5 2-2 4; Andrew Tremble
1-2 1-2 3; Dwayne Miller 1-2 0-0 2; Branimir Vanjak 0-1 0-1 0; Zach LaPan
0-0 0-0 0; Nick Welch 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-50 23-25 77.
Wentworth.....................   30   40  -   70
New England Col...............   33   44  -   77
3-point goals-Wentworth 2-10 (Brad Bryant 1-4; Sherrad Prezzie-Blue 1-4;
Weonard Bynes 0-1; Todd Doyle 0-1), New England Col. 2-8 (Patrick Quinn 1-2;
Ryan Jaziri 1-3; Bobby Montrond 0-1; Andrew Tremble 0-1; Dwayne Miller 0-1).
Fouled out--Wentworth-None, New England Col.-Kingsley Onyechi.
Rebounds-Wentworth 31 (Weonard Bynes 8), New England Col. 35 (Kingsley
Onyechi 12). Assists-Wentworth 8 (Todd Doyle 2; Rob Fernandes 2), New
England Col. 5 (Bobby Montrond 2). Total fouls-Wentworth 24, New England
Col. 18.