Last-Second Three Sinks Mariners in NECC Title Game

HENNIKER, N.H. -- After leading for virtually the entire second half, second-seeded Mitchell College was clipped in the final seconds by a three-pointer from New England College's Calvin Cheek in a 92-90 loss in the title game of the 2020 New England Collegiate Conference Men's Basketball Championship on Saturday at Bridges Gym.

Mitchell led by as many as 16 with 10:04 to play in the game before the top-seeded Pilgrims began to claw their way back. After using a 10-0 run to make it a 76-70 game with 6:03 remaining, NEC needed the rest of regulation to make up the difference. Cheek's step-back three-pointer, which came with 1.3 seconds left on the clock, put the Pilgrims in front for the first time since the opening possession of the half. Mitchell's last desperation heave came from behind the midcourt stripe and was off the mark.

Mitchell seniors Hasani Williams and Matt Finke turned in big performances in the final collegiate game of their careers. Hasani Williams finished with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to along with a steal and a block. Finke was lights out from deep, going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc to finish with 19 points. All five Mitchell starters scored in double figures as Leonard Williams had 14 points and six assists, Jalen Benson had 12 points and Malik Chase chipped in 10 points.

Jamal Allen netted 24 of his game-high 27 points in the second half to pace NEC, which improved to 21-6 overall. Izaiah Winston-Brooks contributed 19 points and seven rebounds while Cheek finished with 16 points eight assists and nine steals. Larry McKinney and Stephen Fama rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 and 10 points, respectively. 

NEC's defense was suffocating down the stretch. The Pilgrims forced Mitchell into a season-high 28 turnovers and turned those miscues into 37 points.

Mitchell ended the season with an overall record of 12-15.

2020 NECC Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team 

MVP- Calvin Cheek, New England College
Larry McKinney, New England College 
Hasani Williams, Mitchell
Leonard Williams, Mitchell 
Garrett Crandell, Eastern Nazarene
Jordan Booker, Dean