Brooks Equals Single-Season Blocks Mark In 55-54 Setback Against MCLA

Dudley, MA --- MCLA senior Ruben Delrosario (Springfield, MA/Central) sank the game-winning basket with 33 seconds remaining in regulation to help the Trailblazers knock off Worcester State, 55-54, this evening in MASCAC men's basketball action at the Nichols Athletic Center.

With the victory MCLA improves to 7-13 and 4-4 in the conference while the Lancers fall to 5-15 and 2-5 in league action.

The opening stanza was a back and forth affair that saw the margin tilt the scoreboard one way or the other 10 times and game was score equaled on four occasions.

The largest advantage for the visitors came at 16-12 with 8:36 on the clock while Worcester State utilized an 8-0 run to take over the 30-25 edge with 1:08 remaining following a trifecta by senior Brendan Rios (Easthampton, MA).

As Worcester State maintained the 30-27 margin at the intermission, the second period started off with six lead changes and two ties before sophomore Ryan DiBernardo (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) converted an old-fashioned three-point play to give the hosts a 41-37 bulge at the 13:37 mark.

Around the midway mark, senior Kenny Suggs (Brooklyn, NY) converted a trio of lay-ups in a 10-2 skein to help the Trailblazers take over the 49-44 score with 6:52 read on the scoreboard.

But Marquez McKreith-Collins (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) aided the Blue and Gold in a 6-2 mini run with a traditional three-point play to equalize the score at 51-51 just after the 3:00 mark.

MCLA sophomore Adam Conquest (Gardner, MA) had other plans as he gave his squad a boost, responding with a field goal in the paint moments later to give the visitors the two-point cushion.

On the seventh tie of the game and 1:12 remaining, McKreith-Collins canned two points at the charity stripe before senior Charles Gunter (Boston, MA) gave WSU the 54-53 edge by making the back-end of a bonus try.

The play set the stage for Delrosario's late game heroics as he hit a fade away jumper at the top of the key with 33 ticks left on the clock.

The Lancers had a chance to answer on a jumper on the left base-line by Rios, but it was off the mark. WSU saw another golden opportunity with five seconds remaining, however the Blue and Gold turned the ball over in the back court and MCLA held on for the triumph.

Senior Isshiah Coleman (Dorchester, MA) sent 6-for-12 from the field to finish with a squad-high 12 points for the visitors and he added six blocks. Suggs came off the bench to score 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench as Delrosario and junior Paul Maurice (Mattapan, MA) combined for six helpers.

McKreith-Collins had a team-best 14 points with four swipes and three helpers while Gunter dotted the box score with 13 points, nine caroms, four steals and two assists.

Sophomore Paul Brooks (Arlington, MA) also chipped in with seven points, eight caroms and five rejections. Brooks tied the school-record for blocks in a season as he now has 63 blocks equaling the standard set by Ted Mulvagh (2002-03).

Entering tonight's game, Brooks was fourth overall in Division III in total blocks and average (3.05 blocks per contest).

MCLA hit half their shots for the game (25-for-50) and connected for a torrid 64 percent alone in the final stanza (14-for-22). The Trailblazers also dominated the paint (42-24) and led in bench scoring (26-16), but missed eight tries from the line (5-for-13 – 39 percent).

The Lancers led in total rebounds (38-33) and offensive caroms (17-7) while finishing with the 17-14 edge in points off turnovers.

WSU nearly shrugged off a rusty performance from the floor, hitting a 28 percent clip (17-for-60) with only four makes from beyond the arc in 13 attempts (31 percent). The hosts, however, generated a bulk of their offense with a strong effort at the free throw line (16-for-20 – 80 percent).

Tonight's match-up was a fast up-tempo game which saw one quarter of the total points scored in transition and featured 19 overall lead changes.

Both squads will return their attention to MASCAC play on Saturday at 3 PM. Worcester State travels to Salem State while MCLA hosts Fitchburg State.