Moreton filled the boxscore with 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal to lead the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY SportsPix) |
Moreton leads balanced Skyhawks effort in fourth-straight win to open second semester schedule with 17 points
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (December 30, 2017) – Stonehill College showed little sign of its three week break for exams and the holidays as it picked up its fourth-straight win with a 78-62 triumph over the University of Bridgeport, receiving votes in the D2SIDA Top 25 media poll and ranked No. 3 in the D2SIDA East Region poll, in a non-conference men's basketball matchup at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium this afternoon.
Sophomore swingman Will Moreton (Minneapolis, Minnesota/Edina) led a balanced Stonehill offensive effort which put four in double figures and finished shooting 42.2-percent from the field overall (27-for-64) with a game-high 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, and converting all four free-throw tries. He also filled the box score with nine rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and a steal in 36 minutes.
Senior Joel Berroa (Lawrence, Massachusetts/Bridgton Academy) added a season-high 16 points, converting 7-of-8 free-throws to go with 4-of-7 shooting, nine rebounds and two steals, while classmate KJ Lee (Huntington Station, New York/Long Island Lutheran) recorded his first double-double of the season (third career) with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, with a career-high 13 rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Brandon Twitty (Randolph, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) rounded out the Skyhawks double-figure scorers with 14 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
Junior Dennis Green (Bronx, New York/Wabash Valley CC) led a Bridgeport team which was limited to 29.3-percent shooting (22-for-75), including 3-for-22 (13.6%) from three-point distance, with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, converting all three free-throws, to go with three rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes off the bench. The remainder of the Purple Knights made just 16-of-64 (25%) shots from the floor, with junior D'Vonne Trumbo (Pilesgrove, New Jersey/St. Thomas More) the only other in double-figures with ten points, aided by 6-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line, and seven rebounds.
Lee posted his third career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. (PHOTO BY SportsPix) |
Sophomore Bakary Camara (Harlem, New York/John F. Kennedy) contributed eight points and seven rebounds for Bridgeport, while freshman Yasir Lawrence (Elmont, New York/Elmont Memorial) chipped in nine points, four boards and three steals in 15 minutes off the bench.
Stonehill scored eight straight points to turn a four-point lead into a 12-point cushion (26-14) after a pair of Berroa free-throws with 3:32 to play in the first half. Berroa led the Skyhawks with four points during that stretch and the Skyhawks extended their lead to 15 (31-16) with a jumper from freshman Owen Chose (Eden Prairie, Minnesota/Eden Prairie) with 2:28 remaining in the half.
Stonehill carried a 12-point (34-22) lead into the second half and quickly pushed its advantage to 16 (38-22) with four-straight points by Moreton. The Skyhawks lead stretched to 21 points (45-24) four minutes into the half, led by four points by Lee and a three-point play by Twitty. Bridgeport drew back within 17 (45-28) after a pair of free-throws from freshman Travis Morgan-Robinson (Elmont, New York/Elmont Memorial) a minute later, but the Skyhawks followed with six-straight points for a 23-point lead (51-28) after a Twitty layup with 13:37 remaining.
Bridgeport closed the gap to 16 (56-40) after a Camara layup midway through the half, but Stonehill reeled off a 13-3 run over the next five minutes to open a game-high 26 point advantage (69-43) with 5:24 to play after four-straight points from Twitty. Bridgeport still wouldn't go down quietly, pulling within 12 (72-60) after a layup from junior Eric Rankin (Bronx, New York) with 2:24 still to play, but the Skyhawks sealed the win from there with four-straight free-throws and then a layup by sophomore Dan Largey (Oceanport, New Jersey/Peddie School) down the stretch.
Stonehill (6-5, 4-3 NE10) is right back in action tomorrow, with a non-conference clash at LIU Post at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gym on Wednesday, January 3, to host American International College for an NE10 battle at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available for sale online at stonehillskyhawks.com. Bridgeport (9-4, 3-1 ECC) hosts Bentley University tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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