Holyoke, MA (March 4, 2023) – The top seeded and #3 nationally ranked Northern Essex Community men's basketball team picked up their 26th consecutive win on Saturday afternoon as they rolled past MassBay to advance to their second consecutive Region 21/East District Championship Game. Tip off is set for 3:00pm Sunday at the Bartley Center on the campus of Holyoke Community College.
NECC jumped all over the Buccaneers early as they ran out to an early 11 point lead and led by 22 just after the midway point of the first half before taking a 54-22 lead into the locker room and never looked back.
16 different Knights found the scoresheet, including three in double figures as the scoring was spread evenly over the course of the 40-minute contest. Peter Lopata (Groveland) and Jeremiah Melendez (Lawrence) both dropped a team high 11 points and Phillip Cunningham (Haverhill) followed right behind with 10 points off the bench.
Defensively, Edwin SamMabaka (Paris, FR), Luis Reynoso (Lawrence) and Jonathan Lingisi (Hamilton, ON) led a smothering defensive effort while also combining for 20 points.
Sunday's championship will be the Knights fourth championship game appearance under head coach Darren Stratton as they will look to punch their ticket to the NJCAA National Tournament being held March 14-18 in Herkimer, NY