February 25, 2006

Elms Wins NAC Championship

Box Score

Bangor, ME ? Elms College repeated as North Atlantic Conference champions defeating U. Maine Farmington 94-82 at Husson College. The Blazers used a balance attack placing five players in double figure, led by tournament MVP junior David Williams (Hartford, CT) who had a game high 34 points along with 7 rebounds.  Junior Justin Davis (Dix Hills, CT) was named to the All-Tournament team finished with 10 points on 3-5 shooting from behind the arch. 

Rounding out the double figure scores for Elms was junior John Ancrum (Harlem, NY) and first year player Antoine Holder (Hartford, CT) who both finished with 11 points and first year forward Malakie Berry (Enfield, CT) with 10 points and 6 rebounds. 

U. Maine Farmington led throughout the first half building a seven-point lead with 4:32 to go at 39-32.  Elms finished off the half with a 13-5 run taking a 45-44 lead into the locker room.  Elms would build a 10-point lead through the first 10 minutes of the second half to lead 69-59 with 10:19 left to go.  U. Maine Farmington would cut it to four at 73-69 with 6:26 but would get no closer as Elms finished the game making 13-18 from the foul line.  

U. Maine Farmington also place five players in double figures being paced by senior Travis Carrier (Auburn, ME) with 20 points and 9 rebounds.  Carrier and fellow senior Travis Magnusson (Thomaston, ME) were named to the All-Tournament team.  Magnusson finished with 11 points and a game high 7 assists.  A trio of sophomores rounded out UMF scoring as Isaac Hutchinson (Oakland, ME), Matt St. John (Wayne, ME), and Sean Fry (Jay, ME) finished with 18 points, 15 points, and 14 points respectively. 

U. Maine Farmington finishes the season at 13-15.  Elms record stands at 22-6.  The 22 wins is a school record for Elms.  Lesley College sophomore Michael Lush and Husson College junior Jason Harvey were also named to the all tournament team. 

Elms will receives an automatic bid to the NCAA III National Tournament.  The pairings will be announced Monday, February 27th by 10:00 am.   

2006 North Atlantic Conference Men?s Basketball All- Tournament Team
Michael Lush - Lesley
Jason Harvey - Husson
Travis Carrier - Maine-Farmington
Travis Magnusson - Maine-Farmington
David Williams - Elms
Justin Davis - Elms

Tournament MVP
David Williams - Elms

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February 24, 2006

Maine-Farmington Upsets Husson; Advances to NAC Men's Final

Box Score

Bangor, ME ? University of Maine Farmington (13-14) upset Husson 78-71 to advance to the North Atlantic Conference final. 

The Beavers placed four players in double figures led by senior Travis Carrier     (Auburn, ME) with 26 points on 13-19 shooting and 11 rebounds.  Sophomore Matt St. John (Wayne, ME) finished with 16 points hitting 4-6 from the three-point line.  Sophomore Sean Fry (Jay, ME) chipped in 13 points while senior Travis Magnusson.  (Thomaston, ME) had 11 points and 7 assists.

U. Maine Farmington lead throughout the first half but the Eagles battled to within three 42-39 on a tip at the buzzer by first year forward Scott Kissinger (Islip Terrace, NY).  Husson would open the second half with a 21-6 run to build a 12-point lead with 13:37 to play.  UMF would answer with a 12-5 run over the next eight minutes to close the lead to 65-63. 

The Beavers would battle back after trailing 69-63 with 3:38 left with back to back three point shots by Fry and St. John which tied the score at 71-71 with 1:33 left.  St. John would then make a save off a rebound and called time out to save UMF possession.  That would set the stage for Magnusson to hit a three from the corner with four seconds left on the shot clock to put UMP up 74-71.  Husson would not score again and UMF would close the game at 78-71. 

Husson finishes the season 17-10.  Junior Jason Harvey (Bucksport, ME) paced the Eagles finishing with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.  Three other Eagles finished in double figures, senior Buddy Leavitt (Guilford, ME) had 16 points and 8 rebounds while senior Phil White (Temple Hills, MD) finished with 14 points and junior Tyler Muzzy (Greenville, ME) had 11 points.          

UMF advances to the NAC finals to be played at 1:00 PM Saturday, February 25th at Newman Gym on the Husson College Campus.

February 24, 2006

ELMS DEFEATS LESLEY 78-65 in NAC Semifinal 

Box Score

Bangor, ME ? Elms College (21-6) advanced to the conference finals with a win over Lesley College 78-65. 

The Blazers used a balance attack placing four players in double figures.  They were paced by junior Justin Davis (Dix Hills, CT) who finished with a game high 25 points.  Davis hit on 6-10 threes for the game.  First-year player Antoine Holder chipped in 13 points while senior Lonnie Branyon III (West Haven, CT) finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds.  Sophomore Nathan Hews (New Hope, MN) added 11 points and David Williams (Hartford, CT) and John Ancrum (Harlem, NY) combined for 14 assists. 

The two teams battled through the first half and the game was tied at 32-32.  Elms used an 18-8 run over the first 8 minutes of the second half to stretch the lead to 50-40.  Lesley would get no closer then ten in the last eight minutes. 

Lesley finished with five players in double figures and was paced by junior Toby Brittian (South Kingstown, RI) who finished 15 points.  Junior Luke Gibson (Zanesville, OH), sophomores Patrick Escabi (Derry, NH), and Michael Lush (Chelsea, MA) all finished with 12 points while junior James Parker (Sandwich, MA) had 11 points.  Lush finished with a team high 9 rebounds.  

Lesley, a first year program, finishes the season at 13-14.  

Elms, defending NAC Champions advances to the finals to take on U. Maine Farmington at 1:00 on Saturday, February 25th.  The championship game will be played at Husson College.

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February 21, 2006

Elms Defeats Castleton State, 87-69;
Advances to NAC Men's Hoop Tournament Semifinals

CHICOPEE, MA, Feb. 21, 2006 - Elms College junior point guard John Ancrum (Harlem, NY) recorded a team-high 16 points and eight assists, and the Blazers placed five players in double figures en route to an 87-69 win over Castleton State College in Tuesday night?s North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men?s Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game at the Maguire Center.

With the win, Elms College (20-6) tied the program-record for wins in a season set a year ago and advanced to Friday night?s conference tournament semifinals, which will be hosted by Husson College in Bangor, Maine.

Castleton, meanwhile, fell to Elms College for the second time in four days and finished its season 13-13.

The Blazers opened the game with a 16-6 run in the first 6:32 and limited the visiting Spartans to just 29.0-percent shooting in the first half en route to a 46-25 lead at intermission.

Ancrum had 14 first half points and Williams added 12 as the two combined to shoot 10 of 18 from the field, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range in the opening half.

The Blazers led by as many as 34 midway through the second half en route to Tuesday?s victory.

Elms College, which limited Castleton to just 36.8-percent shooting for the game, forced 24 turnovers for the game.

Castleton, which also placed four players in double figures, received a game-high 20-point effort from sophomore guard Rich Reilly (Manassas, VA) and senior guard Brian Bradley (Middlebury, VT) added 14 points in the loss.

Elms College sophomore forward Nathan Hawes (New Hope, MN) recorded the game?s only double-double as he netted 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.

Husson Defeats Maine Maritime 75-58 in NAC Men's Basketball Quarterfinal

Bangor, ME ? Husson College (#1 East) advanced to the North Atlantic Conference Semi-Finals with a 75-58 win over Maine Maritime Academy (#4 East).  Husson will now host the NAC semi-finals and championship games on Friday, February 24th and Saturday, February 25th at Newman Gym.    

The Eagles were paced by junior Jason Harvey (Bucksport, ME) and senior Phil White (Temple Hills, MD) who both finished with 17 points.  Harvey finished with 4 rebounds and 3 assists while White chipped in 5 rebounds. 

Husson opened the game with a 9-0 run and finished the half up 35-27.  Senior Buddy Leavitt (Guilford, ME) paced the Eagles in the first half with 11 points finishing with 13 points and 7 rebounds on the night.  Junior Tyler Muzzy (Greenville, ME) got Husson off to another 9-0 to start the second half scoring the first six points of the half and finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.

MMA was led by junior Neil Stewart (Rangeley, ME) who had 14 points and sophomore Brandon Hall (Dover-Foxcroft, ME) who finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds.  The Mariners kept the game close in the first half finishing the first half with a 10-3 run to close within 8 points.  Senior BJ Dunlap (Norridgewock, ME) finished his career with a solid effort, 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. 

Husson is now 17-9 and MMA finishes their season at 9-15. 

Husson will play the winner of the UMF (#2 East) vs. Thomas College (#3 East) game on Friday, February 24th at 6:00 PM.  The other semi-final game will be played at 8:00 PM.  The two winners will advance to the NAC Championship game to be played Saturday, February 25th at 1:00 PM.