Hartford, Conn. – Senior captain center Chris Robitaille (Canton, Conn.) totaled game-highs of 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocked shots to lead the visiting Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a 56-53 win over the Trinity College Bantams in men's basketball action this evening on Ogrodnik Court in Oosting Gymnasium. Playing its home opener, Trinity falls to 1-2, while the Warriors improve to 2-1 with the win in its first road game of the year.
Eastern Connecticut outscored the Bantams, 13-2, over the first 11 minutes of the second half, taking four three-pointers and sinking them all during the run including a pair by junior captain forward Mike Garrow (Terryville, Conn.), to turn a 34-27 deficit at the break into a 46-36 lead. A three-pointer by Trinity sophomore forward Jamil Ebo (Bloomfield, Conn.) cut the Warrior lead to seven, and the Bantams fought back to within a bucket at 51-49 with just under two minutes remaining on a three-pointer from the left wing by senior guard Mick DiStasio (Cheverus, Maine).
After a pair of free throws by Eastern Connecticut senior captain guard Joe Ives (Avon, Conn.), a pull-up jumper by Trinity first-year guard Jaquann Starks (Hartford, Conn.) and a drive by sophomore teammate Hart Gliedman (New York, N.Y.) cut the Warrior lead to two points on two occasions. Warrior junior guard Brian Salzillo (North Haven, Conn.) made three of four from the line down the stretch, although Trinity had a chance to tie with a three-pointer in the final seven seconds, but could not get off a shot from behind the arc.
In the first half, Trinity went on a 7-0 run midway through, including four points by sophomore forward Steve Spirou (Pelham, N.H.), to take a 16-10 lead and extended its advantage to as many as 12 points at 34-22 on a layup by Spirou in the final minute. A three-pointer by Eastern Connecticut freshman guard Trachone Preston (Enfield, Conn.) and a put-back by Garrow as time expired cut the lead to seven at intermission.
Trinity rookie forward Shay Ajayi (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored a team-high nine points, all in the first half, and added five rebounds, and a pair of blocks, while fellow first-year Mark Richards (Orangeburg, N.Y.) added eight points, a team-high six rebounds, and three steals, and DiStasio finished with eight points, three assists, and three blocked shots. Salzillo and Garrow scored 11 points apiece for the Warriors, and Garrow added seven boards and a game-high six assists. Eastern Connecticut shot 6-for-12 from behind the three-point line.