The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team traveled Quincy, MA to take on the Quincy College Granite for their last regular season game of the 2019-20 campaign Thursday evening. The Knights perfectly balanced defense and attack and took the game from the Granite in an 89-73 victory. The win improves CCRI’s season record 20-10 overall and 16-3 in Region XXI play as well as earns the Knights the No. 1 seed going into the postseason.

CCRI entered Thursday’s game knowing a win would earn them the No. 1 seed for the Region XXI playoffs as well as a first-round home game. The Knights came out of the gates in stride, doubling the Granite in the early stages and taking a 30-14 lead 10 minutes into the action. Quincy would gather themselves and begin to close the gap led by Cameron Mason with 19 points. CCRI was led by a 22-point first half from freshman Mikey Gamble (Hartford, CT). At the halftime break, CCRI led Quincy 46-39.

The second half saw momentum swing back in favor of CCRI as they built up 17-point lead eight minutes into the second half; 67-50. The game settled down as the Knights began to play more methodical and efficient offense to not allow the Granite back into the game. This paved the way to a relatively comfortable 89-73 victory for CCRI. The win also guarantees the No. 1 seed in the Region XXI playoffs next week.

The Knights were led by Gamble with a game-high 26 points, going 9-13 from the floor and 2-4 from beyond the arc while adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Freshman Reece Bullock (Coventry) tore down a game-high 16 rebounds with 13 points, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Freshman Mitchel Noresca (East Providence) tallied 14 points and 14 rebounds to end the regular season with a whopping 18 double-doubles. Sophomore co-captain Jeremy Remigio (Providence) scored all of 13 points in the second half and chipped in eight rebounds, five assists and one steal. Sophomore co-captain Elijah Lewis (Bridgeport, CT) contributed 13 points, four assists, four steals, two rebounds and one block.

Head Coach Rick Harris commented: “Solid performance by our guys to bounce back in just two short days. We played team ball and rebounded very well against a big Quincy squad. [I’m] looking forward to seeing our guys host a playoff game at the Vincent A. Cullen Field House Wednesday night.”

The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team will next be in action on Wednesday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. as they host a first round Region XXI playoff game with their opponent to be determined after this weekend’s action. Wednesday will also be Alumni Night where they will invite all alumni to the Cullen Fieldhouse for their last basketball game, Alumni should contact Coach Harris (rjharris@ccri.edu) because all alumni who attend will receive CCRI a t-shirt. Lady Knights drop season finale The CCRI Lady Knights Basketball team hosted the No. 13 ranked (NJCAA DIII WBB Poll) Pointers of the University of Connecticut at Avery Point (UCAP) on Sunday for their final game of the season. The Lady Knights ended their season with a lost to the Pointers 71-57. With the loss CCRI’s season end with a 6-23 overall record and 3-9 record in Region XXI play.

The Lady Knights shot out of the gates in impressive fashion in the first quarter to lead 23-14 by the quarter’s end led by 11 points from Sophomore Co-Captain Nicole Chamberlain (West Warwick) which included three her knocking down three triples.

In the 2nd quarter UCAP turned up the heat with their full court press which helped them outscore CCRI 19-10 to tie the game 33-33 at halftime. The Pointers were led by the duo of Abby Stone and Carsen Keith combined for 15 of the UCAP 19 points. 

UCAP continued to put the pressure on CCRI in the third quarter which stifled the Lady Knights’ offense and they only managed to score six points while the Pointers’ Abby Stone kept the scoring pace going for UCAP scoring seven of her game-high 27 in the third to give UCAP a 50-39 lead going into the fourth quarter. 

The Lady Knights tried to make one more run in the fourth quarter with a balanced attack getting six points from sophomore co-Captain Faith Fahnbulleh (Providence), five points from freshman co-Captain Jazlynn DiZoglio (Providence) and four from Chamberlain but it was not enough as Abby Stone poured in 12 more points to lead the Pointers to the 71-57 victory.  

Lady Knights were led by sophomore co-captain Chamberlain with a team-high 20 points including four 3-pointers with two assists and three rebounds. Freshman co-captain DiZoglio 17 added points with two assists, two steals and four rebounds.  UCAP got a big day from Abby Stone who charted a double-double with a game-high 27 points while adding 12 rebounds.