Springfield, Mass. - John Strawson scored 18 points and added 11
rebounds to lead the Springfield College Pride men's basketball
team to a 65-59 overtime victory over the Trinity College Bantams
this evening at Blake Arena. Springfield raises its record to
9-9, while Trinity falls to 5-11.
The game certainly had its ebbs and flows in the first half.
Springfield got off to a 12-3 lead after the first 6:02. Junior
guard Ryan Blackmon (Stamford, Conn.) scored eight
of those first 12 points for SC. The Bantams, however, would close
it to two on three occasions, the last with 2:12 to go on a lay-up
by sophomore guard Brian Ford (Bronx,N.Y.). At
that juncture, the Pride led 26-24, but Springfield then scored the
half's final seven points.
In the second half, Trinity outscored Springfield, 13-5, to
start it off, thus taking a 39-38 lead with 11:53 left on a jumper
by senior guard Paul Rowe (Brooklyn, N.Y.). The
score was tied at 47-all with 8:26 left when sophomore guard
Salah Abdo (Chealsea, Mass.) hit a pair of free
throws. Trinity then scored the next five points to take a 52-47
lead with 5:43 left.
When Abdo hit a three-pointer with 3:57 left, Trinity led by
four, 55-51. But Springfield managed to score the last four points
in regulation play. Both teams had opportunities to win it,
the last by Trinity on an out-bounds play underneath their own
basket, but failed to convert.
In the overtime, Strawson made another power lay-up with 3:57
left, and that gave Springfield the led for good. Strawson
followed up with two free throws with 3:19 left, When Rowe made two
free throws for Trinity with 1:53 left, the Bantams closed it to
within three at 62-59 But Strawson made two more free throws with
20 seconds remaining. And freshman center Ryan Coburn (West
Warwick, R.I.) added one more with eight seconds
left. Abdo led Trinity with 15 points and Rowe finished with
14.
box
score
