Clippers hot-shooting first half
more than enough to collect second-straight win
RINDGE, N.H. (December 21,
2005) - Concordia College used a lights-out first half
shooting performance to post an 80-66 victory over Franklin Pierce
in non-conference men's basketball action tonight at the Franklin
Pierce Fieldhouse.
Concordia hit 64.3-percent (18-28)
of its shots from the field in the first half, including a
scorching 6-for-9 (66.7%) from three-point range, to open a 47-29
halftime lead and never looked back.
Senior guard Anthony
Lee (Norwalk, Conn.) led four Concordia players in
double-figures with a game-high 24 points as he hit 7-of-13 from
the field, including 3-5 from three-point range, to go with nine
rebounds and four assists. Classmate Brian Antonelli
(Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) added 13 points,
aided by 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc, while senior
Andre Taylor (Freeport, N.Y./Nassau CC)
notched a double-double with ten points and a game-best ten boards.
Junior Jonathan Duperon
(Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) came off the bench
to net 11 points, while senior Jonathan Garrett
(Hollis, N.Y./North Country CC) registered eight
points, a game-best ten assists, six rebounds and three
steals.
Senior Justin Powell
(Brookline, Mass./Brookline) led Franklin Pierce with
14 points, hitting 6-of-11 shots from the floor, and six rebounds
(five offensive). Classmate Pierre Sully (Jamaica
Plain, Mass./North Cambridge) contributed 11 points,
a team-high seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sophomore
Joseph Chatman (Boston, Mass./BC High)
added ten points, four assists and four steals, while freshman
Rimas Varanauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/The Winchendon
School) chipped in seven points and six boards (four
offensive) in 14 minutes off the bench.
Franklin Pierce held its lone lead
of the night (15-14) after a pair of Sean Mayo (Saco,
Maine/Thornton Academy) free-throws 6:55 into the
contest. However, a 23-2 Concordia run over the next eight minutes
put the Clippers in charge (37-17) with 5:14 to play in the stanza.
Lee netted 14 points in the opening 20 minutes, while Antonelli had
ten and Garrett finished the half with eight assists.
The Ravens started the second half
strong, cutting the Clippers lead to 11 points (54-43) after a
Sully three-pointer 5:54 into the stanza. However, Concordia
regained control and led by as much as 25 points (77-52) with 6:15
to play and were never threatened again.
While Concordia shot 59.2% (29-49)
from the field, including 9-17 (52.9%) from three-point land,
Franklin Pierce managed just 32.9% (23-70) shooting, including 4-26
(15.4%) from beyond the arc. The Ravens hit just 10-39 (25.6%) in
the second half.
Franklin Pierce (3-4, 1-3 NE-10)
returns to action next Thursday when it faces New York Institute of
Technology at the LIU-C.W. Post Holiday Classic on Long Island.
Concordia (3-7, 2-3 NYCAC) visits Saint Michael's College next
Thursday at 7 p.m.
BOXSCORE
