The events in Haiti remind us of a famous quote we all hear in sports when tragedy hits: "There is more to life than sports."
The games take a backseat. I am hopeful those of you who read this, whether you are a student-athlete or not, will do something within your powers to help those devastated by the earthquake. Think of the families torn apart by this destruction who are waiting by the phone as the hours tick away, praying loved ones are safe. Please take a moment and do whatever you can.
One thing many of the programs we cover here are known for is their commitment to community service, and I would imagine many of the programs will be or are in the process of doing something to help.
As we conclude our day to pay homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let us also all remember the body of work the man accomplished in his brief time here on earth.
Now onto the hoops …
1. Babson 74, Wheaton 73
How is this for an ending? Wheaton’s Brendan Degnan knocks down a pair of free throws with 6.7 seconds left. Plenty of time for one last shot. Babson’s freshman Russell Braithwaite’s driving layup was good with 0.9 left on the clock, which proved to be the difference and gave Babson a much-needed win. How good was this game? Check out the field-goal percentage for both teams in the second half alone. Babson was impressive, shooting 57 percent from the floor, while Wheaton was even better at 62 percent. It was simply brilliant shooting.
2. Emmanuel 78, Rivier 72 (2 OT)
I am not ranking these by any means. I don’t mean to disrespect these two teams either. Have you ever watched an overtime game that wasn’t thrilling? Me neither. So a double-OT game certainly gets a mention here.
Rivier led by nine at the half and stretched the lead to double figures in the second half, but the Saints fought and clawed their way back to eventually take the lead late. However, a foul with less than a second to play enabled Rivier to tie and send it into OT. The Saints pulled away in the second overimte to win. Isaiah Duke led Emmanuel with 25 points while logging 43 minutes. The high man for “Riv” was Nick Bean who logged 47 minutes and scored 20 points.
1. WNEC 97 Endicott 91 (2 OT)
I am sensing a pattern here. First off, 97 and 91 points are unbelievable in any men’s or women’s game. Some have e-mailed me and said this is the game of the year, and they could be right. Check out some of these stat lines:
Endicott
Ceciley Chisholm: 48 minutes, 28 points, 11-for-18 shooting
Ashley Wright: 50 minutes (which, if my math is right, is the entire game), 22 points
WNEC
Kailah Al-Darraji: 46 minutes, 15 points
Emily Savino: 35 minutes, 30 points.
2. Plymouth St. 74, Rhode Island College 72 (OT)
Tough break for the officials that don’t get overtime pay, because some earned it this week. In one of those classic back-and-forth games with runs for each team, Plymouth State outlasted RIC. The game came down to the final shot, as sophomore Alicia Doucet’s runner as time expired gave her points 19 and 20, and gave the Panthers win No. 13 on the year.
Colby Sawyer’s David Rosso had a daily double of sorts. Not only did he reach the magical 1,000 number, but he also scored the eventual game-winner with nine seconds left to lead his team to a 58-57 dramatic win over Anna Maria in TCCC action.
Chris Paquin of Nichols had to use the services of the backboard from 3-point land to get his 1000th in a 74-61 win over New England College.
Wheelock’s Sherard Robbins reached the mark in an action-packed 64-62 win over Southern Vermont. Robbins is the first member of the Wheelock men’s 1,000-point club.
The women also had some new members of the 1,000-point club, as Jenny Bronson of New England College recorded her 1,000th in a 73-58 win over Johnson St.
Also, Jess Mellen from Rivier became just the second player in GNAC history (male or female) to exceed 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists in her career. She reached the milestone by dishing out a pair of assists in the Raiders' 61-54 triumph over Curry College on Thursday.
Coaches also with historic wins include Melissa Hodgdon of Wheaton, who won her 100th in the epic 64-63 win over WPI, and Keene State’s Keith Boucher, reached 300 with a 54-49 win over UMass-Dartmouth.
Finally, the most recent national polls have New England representation in them. The men’s poll has Williams No. 5, MIT No. 8, Middlebury No. 10, Brandeis No. 15 and Amherst No. 20. On the women’s side, Amherst is at No. 2, receiving four first-place votes. Also, Bowdoin is No. 13, Tufts No. 16, and Colby No. 25.
All these teams are making New England look good!
