SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior guard Max Barbosa (Dorchester, MA) led three players in double figures with 22 points as the Eastern Nazarene men's basketball team posted a 77-69 victory over Western New England Saturday afternoon (Jan. 14) at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.
The Lions, who ended a three-game skid, raise their record to 3-10 overall and 2-4 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). This was the fourth straight loss for the Golden Bears who are 4-8 and 1-5 in conference action.
ENC led by 11 points twice in the first half before the Golden Bears came back to cut the margin to two (32-30) at halftime.
Western New England fell behind by seven (42-35) before using a 10-2 run to take a 45-44 advantage following a three-pointer by senior guard Andre Shaw (New York, NY) with 14:49 to play.
The Lions quickly regained the lead 11 seconds later when Barbosa hit a jumper.
Eastern Nazarene scored 16 points in a little less than five minutes to stretch its margin to 62-51 after Barbosa drained the last of his five three-pointers at the 9:58 mark.
The Golden Bears rallied getting within three (68-65) when freshman forward Musa Elsir (Springfield, MA) scored on a nice left-handed hook with 2:46 remaining.
The Lions netted the next seven points and allowed just four points the rest of the way.
Junior center Chima Ezeigbo (Roanoke, VA) contributed a double-double for the visitors with 18 points (7-for-10 from the field) and 12 rebounds. Senior guard DeAngelo Alston (West Columbia, SC) added 13 points. Barbosa also chipped-in with four assists, four rebounds, and three steals.
Shaw finished with 22 points and six rebounds for the Golden Bears. Junior Damon Alston (New Britain, CT) had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Sophomore forward Dennis Rinaldi (Harrison, NY) had nine rebounds and seven boards while sophomore guard Ryan Mickiewicz (East Longmeadow, MA) also netted nine points with six assists and a pair of steals.
Eastern Nazarene made 45.2% of its field-goal attempts, including 11 three-pointers. Western New England shot a respectable 41.3% from the floor and connected on eight three-pointers.
The Lions held a 42-34 advantage in the rebounding category.