Franklin
Pierce Shoots RINDGE, N.H.
(January 7, 2006) – Franklin
Pierce picked up its third-straight win with an 81-66 decision over
Saint Michael’s College in Northeast-10 Conference men’s
basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse this afternoon. Franklin Pierce, winners of four of its last five, finished shooting 50-percent (28-56) from the field after hitting 53.3% (16-30) to take a 40-33 lead into the intermission. The Ravens also continued its recent form on the glass, out-rebounding Saint Michael’s, 40-23, and limited the NE-10’s second-best three-point shooting team to 25.9% (7-27) from beyond the arc (2-13 second half).
Senior
forward Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) led a
balanced Ravens attack with a game-best 17 points, hitting 7-of-12
from the field, and eight rebounds (three offensive). Classmate Pierre
Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge) added 15 points,
three rebounds and five steals, while sophomore Joseph Chatman
(Boston, Mass./BC High) registered 15 points and five assists.
Freshman
Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep)
contributed ten points and three boards, while junior Darryl
Minnifield (Boston, Mass./Brookline) added eight points, seven
boards and three assists and senior Tom Sadler (London,
England/Farmington (N.H.) HS) chipped in a game-best nine
rebounds (six offensive) off the bench. Junior Brendan Mullins (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) led Saint Michael’s with 14 points (11 second half) five rebounds and two steals. Sophomore James Sorrentine (Pawtucket, R.I./Saint Raphael Academy) added 12 points, but was held scoreless in the second half, while classmate Brian Monahan (Kinderhook, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) chipped in ten points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Franklin
Pierce trailed just once (2-0) and led by as much as 13 points (38-25)
in the first half after a Munch three-pointer with 1:29 left. The
Ravens settled for a seven-point (40-33) halftime lead after junior Ryan
Maloney’s (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee) running half court shot
at the buzzer answered a Chatman jumper with 2.7-seconds to play in
the half. SMC
closed within five (42-37) after a jumper from freshman Mike
Iola (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket) 2:05 into the second
half, but Franklin Pierce responded with a 12-2 run to open a 15-point
lead (54-39) after a Powell jumper with 13:43 to play. The
Ravens lead grew to 21 points (67-46) after a driving lay-up from
freshman Jack Barrett (Reading, Mass./Andover) with 7:59
to play, but the Purple Knights forced the issue down the stretch. A
13-2 SMC run over the next 4:54 closed the gap to ten points (69-59)
after a Monahan lay-up with 3:05 left. However, that would be as close
as the Purple Knights would get as the Ravens hit six-straight free
throws over the next two minutes, and 11 of their next 14 to ice the
victory. Franklin Pierce (7-5, 4-3 NE-10) hits the road to face Saint Anselm College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Saint Michael’s (6-7, 3-5 NE-10) hosts Southern New Hampshire University on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. |
