Tuesday, January 25, 2011 (Newton, Massachusetts) – With a minute left in regulation, Mount Ida College men's basketball junior captain Travis Hillery (Tyngsboro, MA/Central Catholic) laid in the go ahead basket giving the Mustangs a one point lead (73-72). The hosts would ultimately ride out a 77-72 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over visiting rival Lasell College Tuesday night in Newton, Massachusetts. The Mustangs, who snap a five game conference slid with the win, improve to an overall record of 5-11 standing at 2-7 in the GNAC. The visitors fall to 4-12 for the year dropping to 3-6 in conference competition.
Mount Ida junior captain Isiah Benjamin (Windsor, CT/The Masters School) was impressive all game and it started by going 5-5 from downtown within the opening six minutes of the contest giving the hosts a 19-18 lead. The visitors kept pace with the Mustangs throughout the impressive offensive stretch trailing by just one with most of their buckets coming from the hands of Laser sophomore Sean Bertanza (Seymour, CT/Trinity Pawling).
The visitors followed capturing a three point advantage leading 22-19 after a four point play from Bertanza who was fouled in the process of draining a trifecta and converted his attempt from the charity stripe for the 22-19 lead at the 12 minute mark.
The action went back and forth for the next five minutes until the Mustangs held a small margin up two after two successful free throws from junior Keith Jones (Boston, MA/Lake Brantley (FL)/Mass. Bay C.C.) leading 37-35 with five and half to go before the break.
The offense continued to roll for both sides with the Mustangs holding the slight edge. Mount Ida would eventually control the final five minutes of the first half heading into the locker room up 46-40. The hosts scored the final basket of the first half on a steal by junior transfer David Gibbs (East Hartford, CT/UMASS-Amherst) slamming it down on an impressive dunk.
The second half looked as if neither team would miss going 4-4 to start the game combined. Following the offensive attack on both sides, the visitors held a small two point edge for the first ten minutes of the second half.
The score knotted for the 13th time (61-61) of the contest with 9:29 remaining in the game with neither team giving in with the Lasers shooting 43 percent for the second half while the Mustangs held the edge at 48 percent from the floor.
Lasell went ahead by four points with 2:54 to go in the contest after another good jumper by Bertanaza leading 71-67. The Mustangs never backed off surging ahead to cut the visiting lead to one point (72-71) after a Hillery jumper. Following a turnover by the Lasers, Hillery caught a precision pass from Gibbs laying the ball off the glass for the 73-72 lead. Lasell started the fouling process and Mount Ida answered going 4-4 down the stretch from the charity stripe solidifying the 77-72 GNAC victory.
Both teams protected well under their baskets with Lasell grabbing only four offensive rebounds to Mount Ida's two for the game. The Mustangs shot an impressive 34 percent from downtown for the game going 50 percent (8-16) in the first half.
Mount Ida was led by four players in double figures led by a team high 24 points from Benjamin going 5-7 from downtown. Gibbs wasn't far behind notching the games only double-double with 19 points and 10 assists. Jones was also outstanding with 16 points and seven caroms while Hillery was also impressive with 13 points and a block. Mount Ida junior captain Joe Cabral (Walpole, MA/Walpole) added 10 boards.
The visitors saw three players in double figures led by a game high 28 points from Bertanza who went 11-25 from the floor with seven rebounds. Junior Javon Williams (Mattapan, MA/Cathedral) dumped in 17 points and five assists for the game and scored his 1,000th point with 10:37 in the first half on a lay-in. Freshman Zachary Campbell (Cape Coral, FL/Ida S. Baker) chipped in 15 points and eight caroms along with seven dishes.
The Mustangs will host Emmanuel College this coming Thursday for another GNAC match-up with tip-off slated for 6:00 p.m.