Sophomore Adam Bramanti scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the first half and connected on 4-of-5 three-pointers for the night. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Bramanti's career-high 18 points leads Skyhawks to first NE-10 win 

EASTON, Mass. (December 4, 2013) – Stonehill College rode a career-high 18 points from sophomore Adam Bramanti (Middleton, Mass./Masconomet Regional) to a 61-56 victory over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

Bramanti scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the first half as he finished shooting 6-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, and converted both free-throw attempts to go with four rebounds and two assists. He made all four of his shots from the field in the first half, including a pair of three-pointers, and both free-throws and finished with 27 minutes off the Skyhawks bench.

Freshman Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) added seven points and a team-high six rebounds with three assists and a steal, while junior captain Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) contributed eight points on 4-of-7 shooting with five rebounds and two assists. Sophomores Josh Heyliger (Bronx, N.Y./The Hill School), Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and Pierce Cumpstone (Bainbridge Township, Ohio/Kenston) both chipped in with eight points. Smith also posted four assists and two steals.

Junior Jimmy Zenevitch (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) led Assumption with a game-high 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting and a game-high nine rebounds (five offensive). Freshman Marcus Murray (Silver Spring, Md./John F. Kennedy) added 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting with six assists, three boards and two steals. Sophomore Julian Aiken (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) chipped in nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 1-for-2 beyond the arc, and four rebounds off the bench.

Junior captain Jack Cole chipped in eight points, five rebounds and two assists. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Stonehill finished shooting 40.4-percent (21-for-52) from the field, connecting on 9-of-22 (40.9%) three-pointers, including 5-for-9 (55.6%) in the second half when the team was just 3-for-13 (23%) inside the arc. The Skyhawks also converted 10-of-13 (76.9%) free-throw attempts, compared to 3-for-5 (60%) for the visitors, and held a 33-32 rebounding edge. Stonehill's reserves outscored the Assumption bench 22-10 on the night. Assumption shot 45.5% (25-55) from the field, including 46.7% (14-30) in the second half, but was just 3-for-14 (21.4%) from distance.

Assumption held the early momentum, staking out a five point lead (10-5) after a three point play from Zenevitch four and a half minutes in. Stonehill responded with 11 straight points to take a six point lead (16-10) after a Cole jumper after just seven minutes as part of a larger 18-5 run that stretched the advantage to 11 points (23-12) on a Logan layup at the midway point of the half. Bramanti led the run with ten of his 12 first half points during that stretch, including a pair of triples.

Stonehill led by as much as 12 (36-24) after two free-throws by freshman Jimmy Walsh (Manasquan, N.Y./Manasquan) with 1:42 left in the half before settling on a ten point (36-26) halftime cushion.

Both teams started out cold in the second half with Stonehill going scoreless over the opening six minutes of the half, but Assumption was only able to draw within six (36-30) with two Zenevitch buckets before Bramanti drilled a three to break the Skyhawks drought for a nine point lead (39-30) with 14:07 on the clock. The Greyhounds drew within five (39-34) on a Murray jumper with 12:30 remaining, but Bramanti again answered from long distance.

Assumption continued to chip away, closing within a point (49-48) with an Aiken jumper with 4:50 to play, but Stonehill wouldn't relinquish the lead. The Skyhawks used a 10-4 stretch to push their lead back to seven (59-52) with a Cumpstone three with 2:08 to play. Zenevitch pulled the Greyhounds back within three with 21-seconds to go after two straight buckets, but Smith drained two free-throws with 18-seconds to play and Murray missed a three at the other end to seal Stonehill's first NE-10 win and a seventh-straight loss for the Greyhounds.

Stonehill (3-4, 1-3 NE-10) is right back in action at Merkert Gym on Saturday to host Southern New Hampshire University for an NE-10 clash at 3:30 p.m. Assumption (1-8, 0-5 NE-10) visits Merrimack College on Saturday at 3 p.m.

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