WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College men's basketball team scored 91 points, their highest scoring output of the season, to defeat New England Collegiate Conference rival Mitchell College 91-79 Thursday evening on Higgins Court. The Pride move to 8-13, 5-7 NECC with the victory and the Mariners sink to 7-10, 5-5 NECC with the setback.
Senior captain Jeff Tagger Jr. (Brockton, Mass.) played his finest game of the season for the Crimson and Gold. He chalked up 16 points, dished out a career-high nine assists, grabbed four rebounds, made three steals and didn't commit a turnover. Ademola Afonja (Staten Island, N.Y.) matched a career-high with 27 points, a mark that he set against Mitchell back on January 19th and Sam Jean-Gilles (Melrose, Mass.) was a rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine caroms.
Three Mariner players recorded double-doubles. Reigning NECC Rookie of the Week Domenico Santiago (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) led the team with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Santiago could have been more productive, but his minutes were limited early on due to foul trouble. Donavan McClean (Jersey City, N.J.) had 16 points and 10 caroms in 40 minutes of play while NECC Player of the Week Parris Hill (Stockton, Calif.) scored 12 points and snagged 11 boards.
The Pride opened up the contest with a bang. After a steal from Tagger Jr., Sam-Jean-Gilles fed a pass down low to a cutting Ademola Afonja who skied high and threw down a ferocious two hand slam that caught the attention of the Higgins Court crowd and the Mitchell defense.
Jordan Monts (Springfield, Mass.) would then convert a layup to put the Pride up 4-0 in the early going. Both squads decided to play at a fast pace during the opening minutes as each team pressed the opposing squad after each made basket. The half-court trap seemed to work for the Crimson and Gold as they went on a 16-3 run with the help of Afonja who scored 10 of the 16 points to put the hosts up 20-7 with 14:05 left in the first stanza.
Regis continued to trade baskets with Mitchell including a three-ball from Tagger Jr., who used a filthy crossover to throw off his defender. After an Afonja bunny made it a 13 point Pride advantage, Mitchell tallied nine straight points including a deep three-pointer from senior guard Frank Martin (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) to cut the deficit to 28-24 with six minutes to go.
The Pride used eight consecutive points with four of them coming from two dunks by junior forward Chris Leak Jr. (New Haven, Conn.) including an impressive tip slam off a missed layup by Isaiah Wilson (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) which put the hosts back up by double figures 36-24.
The Mariners brought the Pride lead back down to four after sophomore guard Brayvon Young (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) converted a layup from underneath, but Sam Jean-Gilles answered with a shot from downtown and two free throws to put the Crimson and Gold up eight. Donavan McClean put back a Young missed three-pointer as Mitchell headed into the intermission down six, 41-35.
Ademola Afonja scored 17 of his 27 markers during the first stanza and shot 6-of-9 (66.7%) from the floor.
A Parris Hill jumper from the elbow which opened the second half brought the Pride lead back down to four. Afonja answered with two buckets from the block to increase the lead back to eight. On the next trip down the floor, Frank Martin knocked down a three-pointer from the corner to cut into the Pride advantage.
Hector Heredia (Lawrence, Mass.) answered with a driving layup off a pick and roll play. The senior guard was fouled by Alan Morgan (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and Heredia converted the three point play by making the freebie to put the hosts back up eight.
Every time Mitchell would threaten Regis would answer. A Donavan McClean layup made it a four point game again at the 17:16 mark before Monts converted a free throw and Tagger Jr. buried a three-ball from the corner to put the Pride up nine 53-44. Two minutes later, McClean would drive down the lane for a fast break layup after a Parris Hill steal, but Chris Keaton (Beverly, Mass.) connected on two straight three-pointers on consecutive possessions to push the Pride lead back up to double figures.
The Mariners and the Pride would keep trading trips down the floor before the Crimson and Gold made it a 12 point game with 5:31 to go after an Afonja baseline driving layup. Afonja's take to the hoop would ice the game and force Mitchell to foul.
Regis converted 56.1% (32-of-57) of their attempts from the field and outscored Mitchell's bench by a 25-2 margin. The battle inside was equally impressive for both sides as the Pride tallied 46 points down low and the Mariners scored 44 from the low post.
Chris Leak Jr. scored 12 points off the bench and secured five rebounds. Hector Heredia added seven points and five assists for the hosts. Frank Martin matched Santiago with 20 points and was just as efficient as he shot 7-of-10 (70%) from the court including 6-of-8 (75%) from downtown.
Regis returns to the hardwood on Saturday when they welcome conference opponent Newbury to campus for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off. Mitchell hosts Southern Vermont at 3:00 p.m. Saturday.