Top-Seeded Men's Basketball Cruises Past Western New England, 76-54, to Advance to CCC Semi-Finals

Top-Seeded Men's Basketball Cruises Past Western New England, 76-54, to Advance to CCC Semi-Finals
MILTON, Mass. – Top-seeded Curry College had four players score in double figures in a 76-54 victory over #8 Western New England in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal game Tuesday night in Milton. The Colonels capture their school-record 19th win of the season (19-7), while the Golden Bears close out their season with a 9-17 overall record.  Curry advances to the CCC Semi-Finals and will host #4 Eastern Nazarene on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
 
With 11:36 left in the first half, WNE took its third and final lead of the game (15-14) after senior Damon Alston (New Britain, Conn.) sank his third three-pointer. Curry junior Thomas McLean (Paxton, Mass.) responded on the other end with a made layup to give the Colonels a lead (16-15) they would never relinquish.
 
Curry took its biggest lead of the opening frame (32-17) after senior Sedale Jones (Pittsfield, Mass.) converted a three-point play with 3:39 on the clock. With 33 seconds remaining in the first period, Alston split a pair from the charity stripe to cut the Golden Bears’ deficit to 11 (36-25) heading into the break.
 
With 15:26 left in regulation, Alston converted a layup to cut the Colonels’ lead to seven (46-39). That was as close as WNE would come as Curry maintained a double-digit lead throughout the remainder of the game.
 
Sedale Jones scored a team-high 22 points, while junior Lambros Papalambros (Quincy, Mass.) scored 17. Sophomore Antonio Jones (Boston, Mass.) chipped in with 15. Junior A.J. Stephens (Stamford, Conn.) recorded a double-double with 14 points and a game-best 10 rebounds.
 
The Golden Bears were led by Alston with a game-high 26 points. Junior Dennis Rinaldi (Harrison, N.Y.) added nine points and pulled down six boards.