MBB Falls to Mount Ida in Championship Game at ENC Classic
QUINCY, Mass. - A hot shooting hand led Mount Ida College over
Mitchell College to capture the 2009 ENC Classic Championship
title, 102-80, at the Lahue PE Center.
The Mustangs shot 59 percent from the field and 47
percent from three-point range, as Travis Hillery and Isiah
Benjamin led the victors with 17 points each. Hillery also pulled
down 10 rebounds for a double-double.
In a tight game through most of the second half, a Johrone Bunch
three-pointer with 7:00 remaining began to separate the two teams,
as the lead extended to 15 at 84-69. The Mustangs then
rolled off a 14-5 run over the next three minutes and took a
commanding lead, 98-74, never to look back.
Mitchell kept the game within reach through the eighth minute of
the second half, going 12-for-12 free throw to start the game.
However, the Mariners fell off target and finished
19-for-27, good for 70 percent on the night.
From the tip-off, the Mustangs took the lead and stretched it to
double digits, 20-9, after seven minutes had gone by. The
Mariners managed to cut the lead to seven, 28-21, on an Eric Murray "and-one"
three-point play but did not make any more headway through the
first half. The Mustangs pushed the lead to 16
at 50-34 with multiple three-point conversions and went into
the halftime break leading 50-36.
Mount Ida placed six players in double-digits with Benjamin and
Hillery leading the way. Bunch and Darren Martinez were right
behind the leaders with 16 points.
Mitchell senior Mike DePaolo led
all scorers with 24 points. Murray finished with a
double-double, scoring 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
Mitchell (1-5 overall) will next host CCNY on Tuesday,
December 8 at 7 p.m.
