KEENE, N.H. 11/19/04 - The Keene State College men's basketball
team opened its 2004-05 season with a 99-81 victory over Fitchburg
State in a first round game of the 5th Annual KSC Tip-off
Invitational held Friday at Spaulding Gym.
KSC, which has captured the previous four invitational titles,
advances to the championship game on Saturday (7 p.m.) where they
will face Salve Regina University.
Junior forward Sean Sullivan (Athol, Mass.) led a balanced KSC
offense with 22 points and nine rebounds. David Sontag (Mont
Vernon, N.H.) had a fine overall game with 14 points, eight
rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Harley Davis (Newburyport,
Mass.) and Ben Maynard Nobleboro, Me.) added 12 points each.
Rashad Cope (Roxbury, Mass.) led FSC with 13 points and eight
rebounds while James Prignano (West Hartford, Conn.) and Brian
Torres (N. Dighton, Mass.) finished with 12 points each.
The Owls opened up a 17 point lead (37-20) on a three-pointer by
Matt Hickey (Mahopac, N.Y.) with 7:52 to play in the half.
Fitchburg cut KSC's lead to six points (44-38) on a three-pointer
by Prignano at the 2:42 mark. The Owls regrouped to take a 52-41
halftime lead.
Keene State began the second half with a 15-6 run to push its
lead back up to 20 points (67-47) on a three-pointer by Sontag. The
Falcons cut the lead down to 14 points (72-58) with 12:58
remaining, but got no closer.
Earlier, Salve Regina University posted a 68-58 victory over the
University of Maine-Machias in an opening round game of the
Invitational.
Matt Coute (Somerset, Mass.) led the Seahawks with 18 points.
Chris Collier (Exeter, N.H.) finished with 14 points and Andrew
Rego (Little Compton, R.I.) added 12 points. Chris Goodridge
(Merrimack, N.H.) had a team-high nine rebounds.
Nedrie Simmons (Toronto, Ont.) had 14 points and Phil Munro
(Toronto, Ont.) finished with 10 rebounds for the Clippers.
Leading 25-24 at halftime, the Seahawks used an 18-3 run midway
in the second half to take a commanding 15 point (51-36) lead on a
reverse layup by Matt Grendal (Foxboro, Mass.).
Maine-Machias (8-3) will face Fitchburg State (0-1) in the
tournament consolation game on Saturday (5 p.m.).
