MOUNT IDA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Tansey Gymnasium, Boston, Mass.
FINAL: WENTWORTH 72, MOUNT IDA 65
BOSTON, Mass. -- Senior Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) scored 24 points as Wentworth overcame a late four-point deficit and held on for a 72-65 non-league college men's basketball victory over Mount Ida Saturday afternoon at Tansey Gymnasium.
The host Leopards (7-2) broke open a one-point game by closing the first half on an 18-9 run that was sparked by a Ganley three-pointer to grab a nine-point lead (33-24) at the break, but the visiting Mustangs (6-3) answered with a 15-5 run in the opening 6:25 after intermission to take a 39-38 advantage on sophomore Kevin Vanderhorst's (Lawrence, Mass.) jumper with 13:35 remaining. The teams traded the lead three times before a pair of Ganley free throws staked Wentworth to a 50-49 edge with 7:40 to play in the contest, and Mount Ida used a five-point outburst in a 75 second span to take a 54-50 advantage on senior Joey DeFillippi's (Bristol, Conn.) three-pointer with 6:25 left in the game.
Senior Ben Kizel's (Short Hills, N.J.) trey on the ensuing Leopard possession closed the hosts' gap to one and started a decisive 17-6 run over a five-plus minute stretch, as Wentworth took the lead for good on senior Sam Knollmeyer's (Hampton, N.H.) lay-in with just over five minutes remaining and extended that margin to seven (67-60) on Ganley's lay-in with 1:15 left. The visitors sliced their deficit to a bucket on a pair of Vanderhorst free throws that was followed by senior Jayson Clark's (Austin, Tex.) three-pointer with 54 seconds to play, but the hosts iced their triumph with a combined seven free throws from Kizel, Ganley and sophomore Stephen Azums (Hyde Park, Mass.) down the stretch to account for the final margin.
Kizel added 20 points (including four three-pointers) in the win for Wentworth, which received nine points and five rebounds from junior Zach Bergeron (Litchfield, N.H.) to go with seven points and five boards from Knollmeyer. Azums chipped in with six points and a game-high 12 caroms for the Leopards, who shot 37 percent (20-54) from the field and held a 22-9 scoring advantage at the foul line for the contest.
Clark led three players in double figures with 13 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists in the setback for Mount Ida, which saw its five-game winning streak come to an end. Junior Dennis Ross (Portland, Maine) added 12 points, seven boards, two assists and a pair of steals for the Mustangs, who received 10 points from senior Kevin Conner (Mansfield, Mass.). Senior Errald Jordine (Stamford, Conn.) chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds for the visitors, who received seven points and five boards from DeFillippi to go with six points, seven caroms and five assists from Vanderhorst. The Mustangs shot 35 percent (24-68) from the floor and connected for eight three-pointers on the day, as Mount Ida held a 42-40 rebounding advantage and converted 15 Wentworth turnovers into 23 points.
Mount Ida will be idle until Tuesday, January 2nd when the Mustangs host New England College in a non-league outing at the Athletic Center that tips-off at 5:00 p.m., while Wentworth heads across town to take on Wheelock in a non-league clash on Thursday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m.