MBB Nearly Topples Top-Seeded Elms

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Mitchell College nearly pulled off an upset of top-seeded Elms College on Friday night in the semifinals of the New England Collegiate Conference Men's Basketball Championship, but the Blazers held on to post an 80-78 victory.

Andre French scored a team-high 21 points as the Blazers pulled out the thrilling win. Elms improved to 17-9 on the season, while Mitchell concluded its season 14-12 overall. The Blazers will square off against third-seeded Regis College in Saturday's finals. Regis defeated second-seeded Newbury College, 66-59, in Friday's other semifinal contest.
 
French led three Elms players in double figures with his 21-point effort. Kenneth Lockett was tremendous on both ends of the floor, totaling 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting to go along with a game-high 15 rebounds. Piere Simpson was also effective, scoring 10 points while dishing out six assists. Jamal Hulum added nine points and nine rebounds for the Blazers, who shot 39 percent from the floor.
 
Mitchell received an outstanding performance from junior Joshua Ford, who poured in a game-high 28 points to highlight four Mariners who scored in double digits. Classmate Anthony Epps finished with 14 points while freshman Devonta Mosley and junior Alex Del Rio dropped in 12 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Ford led Mitchell on the glass with nine boards, and Epps and sophomore Michael Pellegrini secured eight rebounds each. Del Rio finished with six assists and Mosley added five helpers in the losing effort for the Mariners, who shot 48 percent as a team.
 
In a game that was tightly contested throughout, Pellegrini connected for a pair of free throws with 2:17 remaining in regulation to bring the game to its 13th stalemate at 76-76. Darius Griffin answered with a lay-up to give the Blazers a 78-76 advantage with 1:52 to play.
 
Simpson then took advantage of a turnover on Mitchell's ensuing possession and drained a jumper to give the Blazers a four-point, 80-76 lead with 1:07 on the clock. Ford delivered a tough bucket underneath with 49 seconds remaining to pull the Mariners to within two, and after Elms' next shot was blocked, Mitchell had a chance at the game-tying layup with seconds to go but could not convert.