Powell leads balanced
attack, Ravens ride hot first half to victory
RINDGE, N.H. (January 7,
2006) - Franklin Pierce picked up its third-straight win
with an 81-66 decision over Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10
Conference men's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce
Fieldhouse this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce, winners of four of
its last five, finished shooting 50-percent (28-56) from the field
after hitting 53.3% (16-30) to take a 40-33 lead into the
intermission. The Ravens also continued its recent form on the
glass, out-rebounding Saint Michael's, 40-23, and limited the
NE-10's second-best three-point shooting team to 25.9% (7-27) from
beyond the arc (2-13 second
half).
Senior forward Justin
Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) led a balanced
Ravens attack with a game-best 17 points, hitting 7-of-12 from the
field, and eight rebounds (three offensive). Classmate
Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North
Cambridge) added 15 points, three rebounds and five
steals, while sophomore Joseph Chatman (Boston,
Mass./BC High) registered 15 points and five assists.
Freshman Timothy Munch
(Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) contributed ten
points and three boards, while junior Darryl Minnifield
(Boston, Mass./Brookline) added eight points, seven
boards and three assists and senior Tom Sadler (London,
England/Farmington (N.H.) HS) chipped in a game-best
nine rebounds (six offensive) off the bench.
Junior Brendan Mullins
(Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) led Saint
Michael's with 14 points (11 second half) five rebounds and two
steals. Sophomore James Sorrentine (Pawtucket,
R.I./Saint Raphael Academy) added 12 points, but was
held scoreless in the second half, while classmate
Brian Monahan (Kinderhook, N.Y./Christian Brothers
Academy) chipped in ten points and a team-high seven
rebounds.
Franklin Pierce trailed just once
(2-0) and led by as much as 13 points (38-25) in the first half
after a Munch three-pointer with 1:29 left. The Ravens settled for
a seven-point (40-33) halftime lead after junior Ryan
Maloney's (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee) running half
court shot at the buzzer answered a Chatman jumper with 2.7-seconds
to play in the half.
SMC closed within five (42-37)
after a jumper from freshman Mike Iola (West Newbury,
Mass./Pentucket) 2:05 into the second half, but
Franklin Pierce responded with a 12-2 run to open a 15-point lead
(54-39) after a Powell jumper with 13:43 to play.
The Ravens lead grew to 21 points
(67-46) after a driving lay-up from freshman Jack
Barrett (Reading, Mass./Andover) with 7:59 to play,
but the Purple Knights forced the issue down the stretch.
A 13-2 SMC run over the next 4:54
closed the gap to ten points (69-59) after a Monahan lay-up with
3:05 left. However, that would be as close as the Purple Knights
would get as the Ravens hit six-straight free throws over the next
two minutes, and 11 of their next 14 to ice the victory.
Franklin Pierce (7-5, 4-3 NE-10)
hits the road to face Saint Anselm College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Saint Michael's (6-7, 3-5 NE-10) hosts Southern New Hampshire
University on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
BOXSCORE
