Men's Basketball Keeps Cruising Against Saint Michael's, 93-57


Junior Ryan Logan totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists today. (PHOTO BY Paul Fitzgerald)

Logan makes run at triple-double, leads five Skyhawks in double-figures 

EASTON, Mass. (December 5, 2015) – Stonehill College, receiving votes in this week's D2SIDA Top 25 poll and ranked third in the D2SIDA East Regional poll, ran away with a 93-57 triumph over Saint Michael's College for its fourth straight victory in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Junior Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) led five Stonehill players in double-figures as he flirted with a triple double by filling the stat sheet with a team-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 6-for-6 inside the three-point arc, and converting both free-throw attempts, to go with eight rebounds, a career-high seven assists, two blocked shots and three steals in 29 minutes. Senior Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) added 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-for-8 from three-point range, with four assists and three rebounds, while classmate Adam Bramanti (Middleton, Massachusetts/Masconomet Regional) contributed 13 points, five boards and two assists.

Senior Stuart McEwen (Sydney, Australia/Saint Thomas More (Conn.)) and sophomore Joel Berroa (Lawrence, Massachusetts/Central Catholic) each chipped in career-high performances off the bench for Stonehill. McEwen netted a career-best 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-for-5 from behind the arc, with three rebounds in 14 minutes, while Berroa registered a career-high ten points, connecting on 2-of-3 triples, with three boards. Senior Pierce Cumpstone (Bainbridge Township, Ohio/Kenston) chipped in with a game-high ten rebounds for the Skyhawks.

Stonehill shot 50-percent from the field (35-for-70), including 51.4% (18-35) in the second half, to pull away. The Skyhawks buried 15-of-37 (40.5%) three-pointers, including 9-for-17 (52.9%) in the closing 20 minutes, posting a 13-3 advantage in points off turnovers as they gave the ball away just eight times to 13 for Saint Michael's. A 47-41 rebounding edge also produced a 17-11 edge in second chance points. The Purple Knights were limited to 31.9% shooting (22-for-69), including 7-for-22 (31.8%) from three-point distance, shooting 29% (9-31) in the first half.


Senior Stuart McEwen scored a career-best 13 points off the bench for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Paul Fitzgerald)

Freshman Levi Holmes III (East Brunswick, New Jersey/Rutgers Prep) led Saint Michael's with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five rebounds. Junior Matt Bonds (Accokeek, Maryland/North Point) was the only other Purple Knight in double figures with ten points and nine rebounds.

Stonehill never trailed, scoring the first five points of the game and held a six point lead (8-2) after Bramanti's second three-pointer of the first three minutes. Saint Michael's closed within two (10-8) with a three-pointer from senior Greg Grippo (Edison, New Jersey/Rutgers Prep) four minutes in, but the Skyhawks scored the next seven points to stretch out a nine point lead after a Logan triple after six minutes.

Saint Michael's was back within four (17-13) on a three-pointer by freshman Derek Cheatom (Buffalo, New York/The Park School of Buffalo) with 12:41 to play in the first half, but Stonehill started to take control, using a ten point push to open a 14 point cushion (27-13) with eight minutes remaining in the half after two straight threes by Smith. The Purple Knights drew back within nine (31-22) with a Bonds layup with 3:53 on the clock, but Stonehill closed the half with an 11-4 run to take a 16 point lead (42-26) into halftime.

Stonehill scored six of the first seven points of the second half to extend its lead to 21 (48-27) after a Logan jumper three minutes in. The Skyhawks lead was 19 (53-34) five minutes into the half when they posted a 13-3 run to open a 29 point advantage (66-37) after a Cumpstone layup with 12 minutes to play and the lead wouldn't dip below 27 the rest of the way. Smith, Berroa and sophomore Isaiah Bess (LaGrange, Maine/Hampden Academy) all connected from long range during the clinching run. Stonehill's grew to as much as 37 (77-40) after a Bramanti layup with eight minutes to go on its way to the final winning margin.

Stonehill (7-1, 4-1 NE-10), off to its best start since 2009, is right back in action here at Merkert Gym on Wednesday night when it hosts the College of Saint Rose for a non-conference matchup at 7 p.m. Saint Michael's (1-6, 0-5 NE-10) hosts No. 2-ranked Southern Connecticut State University for a non-conference matchup on Thursday at 7 p.m.

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