Balanced scoring attack leads Knights over Midshipmen Candidates

Posted 12/21/16

The CCRI Knights men's basketball team took on the Midshipmen Candidates from Navy Prep on Thursday night. The Knights controlled the game from start to finish, and were able to come out with a strong victory. The Knights won the game with a final score

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Balanced scoring attack leads Knights over Midshipmen Candidates

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The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team took on the Midshipmen Candidates from Navy Prep on Thursday night. The Knights controlled the game from start to finish, and were able to come out with a strong victory. The Knights won the game with a final score of 81-67. The victory brings the Knights’ record to 7-4 overall going into the semester break.

The Knights got off to a slow start, and were trading baskets with Navy Prep.

CCRI was able to build a small lead at 16-8, but Navy Prep fought back. Eventually, the Midshipmen Candidates cut the lead to two at 16-14. At this point, the Knights took over. CCRI went on a 19-0 run, extending the lead from 16-14 to 35-14. 

The run was led by Darryl Flowers (Waterbury, Connecticut), who scored 12 of the 19 points during the run. Flowers had 17 points on the game, and helped bring the Knights to a 20-point lead at halftime, 48-28.

The Knights carried over the strong showing from the first half into the second half. They started the half on a 16-12 run, and continued to break away from there.

Navy Prep was never able to get back into the game, as the Knights’ tough defense shut down the offense of the Midshipmen Candidates. With just under eight minutes remaining, the Knights had built a 28-point lead at 70-42. The Midshipmen Candidates made a small run behind their 3-point shooting, but the Knights’ lead was never in danger. As the final buzzer sounded, the Knights were ahead, 81-67. 

The Knights had two leading scorers on the night, Flowers and Grant Gillis (Jamestown, Rhode Island). Both players had 17 points and four rebounds. Gillis chipped in with two assists and one steal, while Flowers had one steal. Kevin Paygai (West Warwick, Rhode Island) also had a great night, scoring 13 points for the Knights and adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Adrian La Fleur (Sydney, Australia) did not have a great night scoring, but was vital to the offense as he assisted on eight Knights’ baskets, while pulling down nine boards.

Head Coach Rick Harris was happy with the performance. He said it was a “great way to end the first semester, opening up with a solid first half. Hope all of our players enjoy their break and come ready for a great second semester.”  The Knights will not play until Dec. 29, when they travel to Florida for their mid-season road trip to take on four NJCAA powerhouses – Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and ASA-Miami. It will be a tough trip, but one that will make the Knights better and prepare them for a strong postseason run. 

Lady Knights vanquish Navy Prep

The CCRI Lady Knights basketball team hosted the Midshipmen Candidates from the Naval Academy Prep School on Thursday night. The Lady Knights defeated Navy Prep, 65-39. With the victory, the Lady Knights improved to 8-8 on the season.

The Lady Knights needed a win after a tough weekend in New York and they delivered by defeating Navy Prep for the second time this semester with an impressive, 65-39, victory.

The first quarter was contested tightly with both teams trying to gain the early advantage. Navy Prep jumped out to a 6-0 lead on six consecutive points from Ariana McKenzie, but the Lady Knights answered by scoring 13 straight points to take a 13-6 lead. The CCRI run was spurred by co-captain Kelsey Hernandez (New Britain, Connecticut), who scored eight points including two 3-pointers. Navy Prep scored three more points before the quarter would end with CCRI leading 13-9. The Lady Knights extended their lead in the second quarter with some hot shooting from Ashley VanBemmelen (North Providence, Rhode Island), who scored eight points in the quarter, including two 3-pointers, and Hernandez added six more points to give her 14 total at the half with CCRI leading 29-16.

In the second half, the Lady Knights erupted for five 3-pointers, two from Tiondra Hands (Delray Beach, Florida), two from D’Asia Allen (Providence, Rhode Island) and one from co-captain Mackenzie Brayman (North Stonington, Connecticut). 

The 3-point barrage helped CCRI extend its lead to 21 points with the score 48-27. CCRI continued to cruise in the fourth quarter, outscoring Navy Prep, 17-12, to win by the final count of 65-39.

Leading the way for the Lady Knights was Hernandez with a team-high 18 points, including two 3-pointers with nine rebounds, five steals and an assist. Brayman added 13 points, including three 3-pointers with five rebounds, two steals and an assist. Also playing well for CCRI was Hands, who charted a double-double with 10 points, including two 3-pointers while charting career-highs with 12 assists and seven steals. Rounding out the CCRI attack was VanBemmelen with 13 points, including three 3-pointers with five rebounds and two steals, and Allen added nine points on three 3-pointers. McKenzie of Navy Prep led all scorers with 21 points and added 13 rebounds.               

The next game for the Lady Knights will be Saturday, Jan. 7, when they host Southern Maine Community College from Portland, Maine, at 1 p.m.

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