Logan scored 13of his game-high 21 pioints in the second half to lead the SKyhawks. (PHOTO BY Mike Broglio) |
Logan leads five in double figures for Skyhawks
WORCESTER, Mass. (November 11, 2016) – Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II preseason poll, shot over 54-percent in the second half to claim a 78-68 season-opening victory over Nyack College in non-conference men's basketball action on day one of the Assumption College Tip-Off Classic at Andrew Laska Gymnasium tonight.
Senior preseason All-American Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) led five Stonehill players in double-figures with a game-high 21 points, including 13 in the second half, on 7-of-12 shooting, including 2-for-3 from three-point distance, while converting 5-of-8 free-throws to go with six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Junior KJ Lee (Huntington Station, New York/Long Island Lutheran) scored ten of his 12 points in the first half for the Skyhawks, shooting 5-for-8 from the floor, with four assists and a steal, while classmate Isaiah Bess (LaGrange, Maine/Hampden Academy) added 11 points, aided by 7-of-8 shooting from the line, with six rebounds and three steals.
Freshman Daniel Largey (Oceanport, New York/Shore Regional) chipped in 11 points in his collegiate debut for Stonehill on 4-of-5 shooting, including 3-for-4 from three-point distance, with three boards and three steals, while junior Ryan Roach (Weymouth, Massachusetts/Cardinal Spellman) finished with a career-high ten points as the Skyhawks bench outscored the Nyack reserves 21-3. Stonehill finished shooting 50-percent from the field (26-for-52), including 54.2% (13-24) in the second half, connecting on 8-of-20 (40%) three-pointers and converting 18-of-24 (75%) free-throws. The Skyhawks also held a 33-31 rebounding edge.
Junior Imran Ritchie (Uniondale, New York/Uniondale) led Nyack with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three-point range, with five assists and four steals. Senior Jaron Smith (Jersey City, New Jersey/Raritan Valley) added 14 points, while sophomore Shawn Witherspoon (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Lasalle) registered 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Senior Ga'Briel Chandler (Atlantic City, New Jersey/Lamar) chipped in 11 points and four boards, while classmate Robert Tyler (Beltsville, Maryland/Price George's) grabbed a game-high ten rebounds to go with nine points.
Lee netted ten of his 12 points in the second half (PHOTO BY Mike Broglio/SportsPix) |
Nyack shot 40-percent from the field (22-for-55), including 38.5% (10-26) in the second half, connecting on 9-of-24 three-pointers (37.5%) and shooting 88.2% (15-17) from the free-throw line.
Stonehill recovered from a slow start in which it trailed by ten (14-4) after seven minutes to take the lead at halftime (35-33) on a Largey three-pointer with three seconds left in the first half. The Skyhawks scored the first nine points of the second half to open an 11 point cushion (44-33) with two Bess free-throws two minutes in. Logan opened the second half with a three-pointer, with Bess totaling four points during the surge.
Stonehill stretched its lead to 18 (56-38) with a layup from Roach seven minutes into the half, as the Skyhawks run extended to 28-9 dating back to the 3:20 mark of the opening half. Nyack trimmed the deficit to nine (58-49) on a Witherspoon jumper with nine minutes remaining, but Stonehill restored a 17 point lead (68-51) with a 10-2 run capped by a Largey layup with 7:15 to go.
Stonehill's lead was still 15 (74-59) after a three-pointer from senior Jim Walsh (Manasquan, New York/Manasquan) three-minutes to go, but Nyack reeled off a 9-1 run to close within seven (75-68) after a Witherspoon basket with 1:04 left. However, the Warriors wouldn't score again and the Skyhawks did enough at the line the rest of the way to seal the win.
Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 NE-10) is right back in action on Saturday when it faces Queens (N.Y.) College on day two of the Assumption Tip-Off Classic at 4 p.m. Queens defeated the host Greyhounds, 93-87 in overtime, in tonight's second game. Nyack (0-1, 0-0 CACC) will face Assumption at 6 p.m. Stonehill's home opener is Wednesday, when it hosts Assumption for their first NE-10 contest of the season at Merkert Gymnasium at 7:30 p.m.
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