Sophomore Jack Cole scored a career-best 17 points to go with nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals tonight. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane) |
Ravens build on five point halftime lead with 58.6-percent second half shooting
EASTON, Mass. (November 20, 2012) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked eighth in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, shot nearly 59-percent in the second to half to pull away with an 85-73 victory over 17th-ranked Stonehill College in a battle of Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball heavyweights at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.
Senior Eric Jean-Guillaume (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic) led the way for Franklin Pierce with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and a 4-for-4 effort at the line with three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Junior Ellis Cooper (Northampton, Mass./Northampton) added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and a 4-for-5 effort at the line with nine rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Sophomore Ryen Vilmont (Philadelphia, Pa./Hamden South) registered 15 points by hitting 3-of-6 shots from the field, including both three point attempts, while converting all seven free-throws and adding three steals. Junior Adrianos Vourliotakis Perdikaris (Cholargos, Greece) rounded out the Ravens double-figure scorers with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.
Sophomore Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) led Stonehill with a career-best 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field while converting all five free-throws to go with nine rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists and two steals. Senior Brian Hamor (Guilderland, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) posted 15 points, six assists and four rebounds, while classmate Raheem May-Thompson (London, England/Towson Catholic (Md.)) registered 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting with six rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot. Junior Mitch Amelio (Carlsbad, Calif./La Jolla Country Day) chipped in with 14 points, aided by 4-for-9 shooting from three-point range, and five rebounds.
Senior Brian Hamor added 15 points and six assists. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane) |
Franklin Pierce finished shooting 52.6-percent (30-for-57) from the field, including 58.6% (17-29) in the second half, and converted 20-of-23 free-throw attempts. The Ravens took advantage of 20 Stonehill miscues for a 20-10 margin for points off turnovers. Stonehill shot 43.3-percent (26-for-60) from the field, but just 9-for-28 (32.1%) from three-point range, and converted 12-of-14 (85.7%) free-throws.
Franklin Pierce led virtually start to finish, with the exception a 5-4 Stonehill lead after a three-pointer from senior Adam Fazzini (Drums, Pa./Crestwood) three minutes into the game. The Ravens responded with an 8-2 spurt to gain a five point edge (12-7) after a Vilmont three five minutes in.
Franklin Pierce extended its first half lead to ten (29-19) after a conventional three-point play by Vilmont with 5:41 left in the opening half with a 15-6 push. Stonehill responded with eight straight points, keyed by a three point play by Cole and a three-pointer by Amelio, to cut its deficit to two (29-27) with 4:24 to go.
Franklin Pierce recovered and took a five point lead (38-33) into halftime and then quickly regained an eight point cushion (43-35) on a Jean-Guillaume three-pointer 1:45 into the second half. The Ravens pushed the lead back up to ten (52-42) after a Vourliotakis Perdikaris layup with 14:31 to go.
Stonehill trimmed the lead to six on three occasions over the next two and a half minutes, but Franklin Pierce had an answer every time. The Ravens lead grew to 14 points after a three-point play from junior Andre Blackwood (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Catholic) with 8:15 to go.
Franklin Pierce went up 15 on two occasions before Stonehill made one more run, cutting the lead to eight after a three-pointer from freshman Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) with 2:52 still to play. The Ravens had the answer still as they held the Skyhawks there and didn't let them within nine points down the stretch, converting all six free-throws in the final 1:43 to seal the win.
Stonehill (2-1, 1-1 NE-10) is off until next Wednesday, November 28, when it visits the University of Massachusetts Lowell, among teams receiving votes nationally, in a rematch of the NE-10 Championship won by the Skyhawks last March at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday, December 1, to host Saint Michael's College at 3:30 p.m. Franklin Pierce (4-0, 2-0 NE-10) is also off until next Wednesday when it hosts Southern New Hampshire University at 7:30 p.m.