Leicester, Mass. - Terrance Favors (Boston, Mass.) scored 20 points in leading Becker to a 60-43 victory over Elms on Tuesday night at the Leicester Gym. Favors became just the fourth men's basketball player in Becker history to reach 1500 points. Becker soars to 17-4 with a perfect 12-0 record in the NECC while Elms drops to 12-9 and 7-5 in the conference standings.
After giving up the first basket of the game, Becker busted out with ten straight points to take an eight-point lead, sparked by three field goals from Rajai Leggett (New Haven, Conn.). Favors passed the 1500 point plateau 7:46 into the game, going coast-to-coast for a layup. It was part of a 9-2 Becker run as the hosts took control, going up 19-8 after a 3-pointer by Favors with 9:47 remaining in the first period. Becker led by as much as 14 before a 7-1 rally by Elms cut the deficit to eight after a jumper by Jamal Hulum (Reston, Va.) with 4:32 left in the half. The Hawks responded by closing out the period on a 7-0 run, going into halftime with a 35-20 lead. Leggett led all scorers in the first half with 13 points while Yahmad Rountree (Waterbury, Conn.) hauled in ten rebounds for Becker. Bryant Corcoran (Waterbury, Conn.) had five points for the Blazers.
Both teams traded baskets in the opening minutes of the second half until a 9-2 push by Elms to pull the visitors to within nine at 41-32 after an Andre French (Torrington, Conn.) jumper. Once again, Becker would respond with a 10-3 run, capped off by a jumper from Favors. Elms would pull to within 12 on a 3-pointer by French with 5:21 remaining, but the Hawks would not be denied, outscoring the Blazers 7-2 down the stretch.
Favors was a force in all areas of the game, shooting 50 percent from the floor, pulling down eight rebounds while dishing out a team-high five assists. Favors came up strong at the defensive end as well with three steals. Leggett scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half while collecting six boards and two steals. Rountree led all rebounders by pulling down 13 and chipping in eight points. Donovin Ford-Hayes (Windsor Locks, Conn.) scored nine points off the bench. Jerome Cohen (Boston, Mass.) added six rebounds. The Hawks scored 23 points off turnovers, the key difference in the game. The defense also held all Elms players to single-digits in scoring.
French led Elms with nine points and two steals. Kenneth Lockett (Atlanta, Ga.) scored seven points off the bench. David McDaniel (Plainfield, N.J.) had six rebounds. Daniel Gonzalez (East Windsor, Conn.) added five points and three boards.
The Hawks are back in action on Thursday, February 9th, when they host the Lynx of Lesley. Tipoff will come at 8 p.m. The Blazers host the Eagles of Daniel Webster, also on Thursday at 8 p.m.