Posted: Feb 21, 2014
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – Regular season champions Central Maine Community College survived a tough challenge by Vermont Tech College Friday night, walking away with the 93-77 win to move on to the Yankee Small College Conference Elite Eight Final Four Saturday at Southern Maine Community College.
Despite the final score, the game itself included 11 ties and 19 lead changes with the Knights carrying their largest lead of ten points six minutes into the first half. The Knights were led by first team all-conference member Jamal Hughes, who tied for a game-high 29 points, including an 11-16 performance from the field, nine rebounds, and seven steals.
Hughes was matched by YSCC Second team all-conference member Shaun Hill of CMCC, who scored 29 points on 12 of 18 shooting from the field in netting a team-high 29 points.
Vermont Tech trailed by only four heading into the half, and took the lead on a Jamal Hughes three point play early in the second, and the Knights were within one with 6:13 remaining in regulation, but CMCC answered with a 13-3 run over the next five minutes to help seal the victory.
The Knights out shot the Mustangs from the field, shooting 47.5% from the field to just 40.9% for CMCC. But head coach Davy Gonyea's team won the battle of the boards, grabbing 56 rebounds to just 41 from the Vermont Tech. CMCC had two players in double-digits in rebounds, with Jimmy Pina grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds to go with his 15 points, while teammate Luis Medina had ten rebounds to go with ten points.
Vermont Tech was led on the boards by Hughes and Nick Ryan, who had eight rebounds to go with his seven assists and six rebounds.
Story courtesy of the YSCC.