Standish, ME - Three Monks scored in double figures as host Saint Joseph's College defeated Husson College, 73-53, in game 2 of The Maine Event Tournament. St. Joe's will face Colby College in the Championship game tomorrow at 3 PM and Husson will take on Southern Maine in the Consolation game at 1 PM. With the win, the Monks improve to 6-3 and Husson stands at 7-2.
St. Joe's jumped out to an early 13-6 lead on an offensive rebound and basket by SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME), but the Eagles stayed close. The Monks remained in control after a three-pointer by sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) and a lay-up by senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) at the 11-minute mark. Husson pulled to within one as FR Brock Bradford (Kenduskeag, ME) knocked down a three and JR Sheraud Lee (Bridgeport, CT) scored at 9:20.
The Monks closed out the half with a 5-0 run and went into the break up 35-30 after a steal and lay-up by Murphy and a three-pointer by GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) with 6.5 seconds.
The teams traded baskets to start the second half but Alexander and Pulkkinen helped the Monks pull away 46-37. A tip-in and three-pointer by FR Ray Eatmon (Huntington, NY) and a three pointer by SO R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) gave St. Joe's a commanding 54-40 lead at 11:00.
Eagles FR Martin Cleveland (Portland, ME) fought back with six points during the final 10 minutes, but the Monks answered Cleveland's dunk with a back door lay-up by Pulkkinen at 3:35 to preserve a 14 point edge. A baseline jump shot by senior Bernard Castor (Mattapan, MA) at 1:25 made it 73-53 and gave the Monks their biggest lead of the game.
Pulkkinen scored a game-high 21 points, Murphy finished with 17 points, 6 steals, 5 blocks and 5 rebounds and Alexander had 11 points. The Eagles were led by Cleveland with 19 points and SR Jason Harvey (Bucksport, ME) had 10.
Colby 78, Southern Maine 59
Colby College defeated Southern Maine, 78-59, in the 5 PM game of the Maine event. The Mules exploded for 47 second half points to earn the win and will face the Monks in the Championship game at 3 pm tomorrow.
The teams traded baskets for much of the first half with Southern Maine going into the break with a 33-31 lead. JR Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, VT) scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half for the Huskies. SR Drew Cohen (Briarcliff Manor, NY) recorded 8 points in the half for the Mules and JR Mark Gaudet (Bingham, ME) was perfect from the floor in the half, also netting 8 points.
Colby took advantage of a 22-6 run to begin the second stanza and maintained control for the rest of the way. The Mules stretched the lead to 15 (57-42) at the 12:11 mark and prompted a USM timeout.
The Huskies responded with baskets by Coppenrath and FR Greg Whitaker (Presque Isle, ME) to cut the lead to 12. Whitaker drained a baseline jumper at 7:09 to make it 60-50 and force a Colby timeout.
The Mules went on a 9-0 run after the timeout to secure the win. Gaudet scored a game-high 17 points to help Colby improve to 6-3 overall and FR Adam Choice (Newport, RI) added 15 points. The Huskies were led by Coppenrath (12) and Whitaker (11) and are 4-6 overall.
Southern Maine will face Husson in the Consolation game tomorrow at 1 pm.
