The Newbury College men's basketball team completed the 53-49 comeback win over Regis College on Senior Night, Thursday evening, in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) action. Sophomore guard Steve Rosemond (Everett, Mass.) sent seniors Jason Marshall (Fairburn, Ga.) and Matt Tise (Hanover, Mass.), who were playing in their final regular season home game of their careers, out on a high-note, netting a game-high 19 points.
In a low-scoring affair for much of the first half, Regis first year forward Ethan Peana (Staten Island, N.Y.) came off the Pride bench and sparked an 11-2 run with back-to-back jumpers mid-way through the first half. But the Nighthawks responded with a mini 5-0 run, capped off by Marshall netting one of two from the charity stripe to pull within two of the lead.
Late in the half, sophomore guard Ryan Chambers (Abington, Mass.) pushed the lead back to five for the Pride knocking down his first of three treys in the game but it was short lived. Junior guard Tim Young (Brockton, Mass.) answered Chambers at the other end of the court and cut the lead back down to three with an easy lay-up. The two teams exchanged buckets for remainder of the half as the Pride went to the locker room with a five-point, 24-19 lead.
When the teams returned to the court in the second half, sophomore forward LaQuinn Shuler (White Plains, N.Y.) opened up the period with an offensive put-back to push the Pride lead back to seven. Chambers extended Regis' lead to their largest of the game, eight points, knocking down his second and third treys of the game within a minute of each other before the Nighthawks called their first timeout of the half.
Coming out of the time out, first year center Cameron Owen (Concord, N.H.) appeared rejuvenated as he swung momentum over to Newbury. After snatching away a missed Rosemond three-point attempt from the waiting arms of defenders, he found Young at the perimeter for the midrange jumper to make it a two possession game at the 15 minute mark.
But it still remained a see-saw battle. Just as the Nighthawks were inching closer, the Pride pulled back on the string and extended their lead once again until Young drained a three to knot up the score at 41 with eight minutes remaining in regulation.
Young's hometown teammate, sophomore guard Kwame Thompson (Brockton, Mass.) came alive late and gave the Nighthawks their first lead since way back at the 13:49 minute mark. Ripping the ball out of the air following a missed three pointer from Pride sophomore Ahmad Charles (Cambridge, Mass.), Thompson drove the ball up court and finished with a lay-up to give Newbury the 43-41 advantage. And the Nighthawks never looked back.
Newbury improves to 9-14 and 6-8 in conference action with the win while Regis drops to 9-13 and 6-7 in the NECC. The Nighthawks return to action this weekend when they travel to New London, Conn. to tip-off against Mitchell College at 2:00 p.m.
Game Notes:
Before the game, Newbury honored senior Jason Marshall (Fairburn, Ga.) and Matt Tise (Hanover, Mass.) for their years of dedication to the men's basketball program and wish them well in all of their future endeavors…Marshall was once again solid in the post for the Nighthawks ripping down nine boards while picking the pockets of the Pride a game-high four times…Young finished the night with 13 points while Thompson rounded out the trio of Nighthawks in double figures with 11.