Recap
Senior captain DeAnte Bruton scored 25 of his game and career-high 40 points in the first half as the Nichols College men's basketball team downed Gordon College 88-76 in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Semifinal action Thursday night at the Nichols Athletic Center in Dudley, Mass.
Junior Matt Morrow recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds to go with a career-high four blocks as the Bison (19-8) advance to the CCC Championship game on Saturday to face top-seeded Endicott College for the third time in four years. Sophomore Jaekwon Spencer also notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards while junior Nate Tenaglia chipped in with 12 points – including three 3-pointers.
Senior Eric Demers led the Fighting Scots (13-14) with 26 points but was 10-of-26 from the field in 39 minutes of action. Junior Parker Omslaer netted 18 points for Gordon, which was outrebounded 47-39 – including 25-12 in the first half.
The Bison raced out to a 9-2 lead behind five quick points form Tenaglia. The Fighting Scots responded with a 15-4 run to grab a four-point lead following a triple from Demers at 14:34. They stretched their lead to seven (25-18) on another three from Demers before the Bison scored the next seven to tie the game at 26 midway through the frame.
Back-to-back triples form senior Joe Sekator gave the Bison a six-point lead (36-30) which swelled to 14 on a three from Tenaglia with 2:38 to go in the first half. A long three from Bruton and a layup form Morrow helped Nichols settle into a 54-37 halftime lead. Demers paced Gordon in the first half with 13 points but was 5-of-12 from the floor as he was closely guarded through the opening 20 by Tenaglia, the CCC Defensive Player of the Year.
The Fighting Scots clawed their way back into the contest in the second half, first getting to within nine points following a three form Demers at 12:48 and then within eight a few minutes later when senior AJ Terry converted a fast break layup. A three from senior Kash Jackson helped push the NC lead back to 12 with 7:14 on the clock before a fast break layup from Bruton with 3:38 to go made it 80-67.
Three things you need to know…
-Tonight's contest marked the 49th all-time meeting between Nichols College and Gordon College. The Bison have won five-straight and 13 of the last 14 against the Fighting Scots, and now lead the series 29-20.
-With tonight's win, the Bison advance to the CCC Championship game for the fourth-consecutive season and fifth time in six years. Nichols dropped the championship game to Gordon before defeating Endicott (2017 & 2018) and the Fighting Scots (2019).
-Bruton's had 76 points in two playoffs games thus far in 2020, bringing his career point total to 2,245 points – second only to Marcos Echevarria in program history.
Next game
Saturday, February 29 @ No. 1 Endicott, 2:00 p.m.