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Portland, Me. - Saint Joseph's Head Men's Basketball Coach Rob Sanicola was invited to be the guest speaker at the recent end of season awards banquet for Deering High School Basketball.

Sanicola shared with the audience his version of the ingredients necessary to become an effective coach and how to use basketball to develop such qualities as dedication, commitment, respect, and the desire to be a successful person and player.   

Deering Head Boys Basketball Coach Dan Legage said of Sanicola, "He is truly an outstanding young coach leading the men's basketball program; Saint Joseph's must feel extremely fortunate to have such a knowledgeable coach and person of such high character as the face of Saint Joseph's Men's Basketball program."

View / Purchase Highlight Photos from Monks' ECAC New England Championship Game at Western New England College, 3/4/07

3/15/07 - Sanicola Named Association of NCAA Division III Independents
Coach of the Year
Murphy and Pulkkinen Named to All-Independent Teams

Standish, Maine - In what has already been a busy month for the Monks, sophomore Elbie Murphy and senior, Chad Pulkkinen earned First and Second Team All-Independent honors, respectively, and head coach Rob Sanicola was named the Association of NCAA Division III Independents Coach of the Year.

The two players are two of 17 players across the nation to be honored by the members of the National Association ofNCAA Division III Independents. The nation’s twenty-five men’s head coaches selected the Coach of the Year, Player and Rookie of the Year, and All-Independent teams.

For the year, the 6-foot-2, senior Pulkkinen averaged 16.8 points and 2.9 assists per game. He shot 40.1 percent from the field, including 38.2 percent from three-point range, and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. He finished his career with the Monks with 1,123 points, which is good for 19th on the all-time scoring list at Saint Joseph's. Pulkkinen, the top 3-point shooter on the team, ranks as the second all-time leader in 3-pointers made (192), 6th all-time in free-throw percentage (.759) and 10th all-time in 3-point field-goal percentage (.341).This is the first time he has been voted to the Second Team All-Independent.

Sophomore guard Elbie Murphy had one of the best all-around offensive seasons ever by a Monk, scoring a career-best 16.0 points, grabbing 5.3 rebound, 4.2 steals, 3.6 assists per game, all good for first on the team. Murphy’s 4.2 steals per game ranked him first in NCAA Division III basketball. His 121 steals on the year broke the all-time individual season record of 111, formerly held by Allen Fields ’91. Murphy received Division III All-Independent honors for the first time, as he was selected to the First Team by the coaches.

Rob Sanicola led Saint Joseph's College to a 22-8 overall record, including an 89-80 victory over top-seeded Lincoln University (PA) in the title game of the AD3I Northeast Men’s Basketball Championship. The Monks also made school history with their first appearance in the ECAC Division III New England Championship. They were awarded the #2 seed and made an appearance in the championship game before losing to Western New England College. This is the first time that Sanicola has won the AD3I award.

3/4/07 - Monks Top Off Stellar Season at ECAC Title Game

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) had game-highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds as the top-seeded Golden Bears held on for a 68-62 victory over second-seeded Saint Joseph’s in the title game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship before a boisterous crowd of 869 at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

Bayne was named the Tournament MVP after compiling his 12th double-double of the season. He was the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player-of-the-Year this past season.

The victory gave the Golden Bears a final record of 22-8 that tied as the second highest win total in the program’s history and its first ever post-season tournament title. The Monks, competing in their first ECAC Championship, also finished 22-8.

Both teams traded leads in the opening half before St. Joseph’s settled down to take a 28-25 lead at half-time.

There were three ties in the first 1:36 of the second stanza before the Golden Bears opened a four-point cushion at 36-32 at the 17:14 mark.

After the Monks cut the margin to one with a basket, Western New England went on a 13-0 run for a 49-35 advantage capped by a three-pointer by junior guard Ryan Hernandez (Hampton Bays, NY) with 10:49 left in the contest. Hernandez then drilled another three-pointer that gave the hosts its biggest lead at 58-41 with 5:55 remaining.

The Monks, however, staged a gallant comeback scoring nine straight points to get within 58-50 after two free throws by senior forward Matt Plummer (Naples, ME) with 3:28 left. Another charity shot by Plummer got the visitors within five at 63-58 with 1:17 remaining, but the Golden Bears made five free throws in the final 50.5 seconds to seal the contest.

St. Joseph’s (22-8) had four players scoring in double figures led by sophomore forward Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) with 12 points, four rebounds, and three blocks. Senior forward Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) (10 points, 7 rebounds) and Plummer (10 points, 6 rebounds) played well coming off the bench. Graduate student guard Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) chipped-in with 10 points and five rebounds.

WNEC junior guard Asif Abdul-Wadud (Springfield, MA) played a key role compiling a double-double of 11 points and a career high 10 assists. He committed only two turnovers in 37 minutes against the persistent Monks’ pressure defense.

3/3/07 - Monks Earn Trip to Championship with win over Curry

Standish, ME – The Saint Joseph's College men’s basketball team, making their first appearance in school history in the ECAC New England Championship, defeated #6 Curry College. 76-67. to advance to the championship game. The Monks (22-7) will travel to Springfield, Mass. to take on #1 seed Western New England College tomorrow at 3:00 PM. The Golden Bears advanced with a 74-57 win over #4 Endicott College on Friday night.

The Monks never trailed in the contest, racing out to a commanding 41-22 half-time lead. SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) opened the scoring with a three-pointer and added another trey and assisted on a basket by GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) to put St. Joe’s up 6-2.

JR Tim Jones (Brookline, MA) scored Curry’s first 5 points but a three by SR Matt Plummer (Naples, ME) extended the SJC lead to 15-5. The Colonels answered with a three by JR Jonathan Bowers (Kalamazoo, MI) and a lay-up by Jones, closing the gap to 5 but Pulkkinen drained a pair of three-pointers to make it 25-14. The Monks dominated the glass, out-rebounding Curry 39-15 in the half and FR Raymond Eatmon (Huntington, NY) scored on a tip-in to put St. Joe’s up 30-19 with just over three minutes remaining.

Pulkkinen connected on 3 of 6 from long range, scoring 11 first half points and Eatmon had 8 points and 8 rebounds. Jones scored 9 of his 10 points in the half to lead the Colonels.

The second half was marked by balanced scoring as the teams traded baskets and the Monks maintained a 21-point advantage after a trey by SO RJ Mattison (Hamden, CT) made it 58-37 at 12:37. Curry (16-14) used a 6-2 run over the next two minutes to cut the spread to 17, but back-to-back treys by Pulkkinen put the Monks up 66-45 at 9:31.

SR Stephen Prescod (Milton, MA) reeled off nine points including a three-pointer at 9:13 that sparked a 14-2 Curry run to bring the Colonels within striking distance, 68-59, with 3:20 to play. A dunk by Bowers off an out of bounds play made it 73-65 with 57 seconds to play but a lay-up and a free-throw by Plummer secured the SJC victory.

The Monks were led by Pulkkinen with 22 points and Murphy with 15 points 7 rebounds and 4 blocks. Eatmon recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 boards.

Leading the way for the Colonels was Prescod with 20 points and Bowers with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Jones added 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

The ECAC Tournament Semi-Final match-up between the #6 seed Curry College Colonels and the #2 seed Saint Joseph's College Monks has been postponed, due to weather and travel conditions, from tonight, Friday, March 2, at 7 PM to tomorrow, Saturday, March 3, at 2 PM on the campus of Saint Joseph's College.

Standish, ME – GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) scored all of his game-high 18 points in the first half to lead Saint Joseph's College to a 70-65 win over Roger Williams University in tonight’s ECAC New England Championship round one game. The Monks (21-7) will take on Curry College, a 108-88 winner over Emerson College, on Friday night at 7 PM in the Alfond Center on the Saint Joseph's College campus.

St. Joe’s got off to a quick start thanks to Pulkkinen who scored SJC’s first 8 points of the game. SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) stretched the lead to 11-3 at 17:14 but the Hawks (15-11) responded with two quick lay-ups. Pulkkinen made it 14-7 with a deep three and Roger Williams cut the spread with baskets by SO Tucker Bashaw (Williston, VT) and JR Ben Camobreco (Duxbury, MA).

Back-to-back treys by Pulkinnen and Murphy put the Monks up 26-19 but the Hawks kept fighting, tying the game at 26 with 6 minutes to go in the half. SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) sent the Monks into the break with a 37-34 edge after converting a three-point play. JR Geoff Baranger (Fairfield, CT) kept the Hawks close with 8 of his 13 points and 5 of his game-high 11 rebounds in the half.

The second half opened with an SJC run to take a 43-36 lead, but JR Dan Gumb (Patterson, NY) tied the game at 47 and a three by Camobreco gave Roger Williams their first lead of the game with just under 10 minutes to go.

The Monks answered with a basket by Murphy to tie followed by a lay-up by SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) to regain the lead. SR Pat Mileski (Cape Elizabeth, ME) buried a trey from the corner to extend the lead to 60-55 at the 8:18 mark. The Hawks went up 63-60 on a basket by Baranger and Mileski drained another three from the corner to tie.

FR Ray Eatmon (Huntington, NY) gave the Monks a 66-63 lead with 3 minutes to go after an offensive rebound and lay-up. SO Scott Vachon (Schenectady, NY) pushed the lead to 5 with a basket at 2:10. The Hawks cut it to three and after an SJC miss but Emmons caused a jump ball on the rebound giving possession back to the Monks. Murphy secured an offensive rebound with 10 seconds to go, dribbled 5 seconds off the clock before being fouled and made both free throws to secure the win.

Murphy finished with 17 points and Alexander added 13 for St. Joe’s. In addition to Baranger’s double-double, Bashaw and SO Michael Woolley (Seattle, WA) had 11 apiece for Roger Williams.

Standish, ME – After earning their first-ever DIII Independents Northeast Region Championship this weekend, the Saint Joseph's College men’s basketball team was rewarded with the second seed for this week’s ECAC New England Tournament.

This marks the first-ever ECAC appearance for Saint Joseph's College and they will represent the state of Maine as the only Division III men’s basketball team in post-season competition.

The Monks (20-7) will play host to seventh-seeded Roger Williams University (15-10, 10-6) in a first round match-up scheduled for Wednesday, February 28th at 7 PM in the Alfond Center on the campus of Saint Joseph's College.

St. Joe’s holds a 5-2 advantage in previous meetings and both teams were 2-0 this season against University of New England and Maine Fort Kent.

The other first round games are #8 Castleton State at #1 Western New England,
#6 Curry at #3 Emerson and #5 Lasell at #4 Endicott.

The first-round winners will advance to the semi-finals which will be at the highest remaining seeds on Friday, March 2. The winner of Western New England/Castleton will face the winner of Endicott/Lasell and the winner of Saint Joseph's College/Roger Williams will face the winner of Emerson/Curry.

The semi-final winners will meet at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, March 3 for the championship.

Standish, Maine - Second-seeded Saint Joseph's College (20-5) jumped out to an early 8-point lead and withstood a first-half comeback en route to a dramatic 89-80 win over top-seeded Lincoln University in the title game of the Divsion III Northeast Regional Men's Basketball Championship on Saturday.

With the win, the Monks claim their first-ever Northeast Region Divsion III championship, improving to 20-7. Defending champion Lincoln (PA) falls to 18-8 as both teams await word of a Pool B NCAA bid.

The Monks came out of the locker room on fire, with an 8-0 run over in the first two-minutes in the first half. Saint Joseph's nailed three consecutive attempts during the barrage, including two straight three-pointers by sophomre guard Elbie Murphy. that gave them a 42-22 advantage with 3:26 left before the break.

Lincoln came storming back and took the lead with a pair of three-pointers by junior guard Sami Wyli (the second of which rained in from well behind the arc). Lincoln extended their lead with six minutes to go in the half, on another transition bucket by Derrick Washington, who was fouled in the act, and the Lions extended their lead to nine points, 36-27.

The Monks responded with a 7-0 run of their own highlighted by Muphy's three pointer and 4 points from senior Matt Plummer. The Monks went to the line 25 times making 15 in the opening period, shot at a blistering 5-for-11 clip from three-point range, and took a 46-42 lead into the locker room, despite shooting 40 percent from the floor.

The Monks kept the lead at 6 for the first 9 minutes of the second half, but Lincoln bridged the gap to 5 points when guard Earl Miller sank a jumper with 10:03 left in regulation. Miller then brought the Lions within three point with a lay-up, and Tyreek Byard made it a 1-point game with a jumper all within a minute.

That was as close as Lincoln would get. Within minutes captain Chad Pulkkinen grabbed a defensive rebound off a Lavine Grimes miss, dribbled the length of the floor and passed to a cutting Scot Vachon to give the Monks a three-point lead. Forty seconds later, Pulkkinen was againin the mix as he drew a foul en route to two more made free throws, extending the Monks lead to seven points, with 8:29 on the clock.

After a Vachon foul and Saint Joseph's timeout, Byard hit a clutch jumper to make it a five-point game, the closest the Lions would get with 6:52 left in the game.

Over the next four minutes, the Monks made 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch and two key baskets by Murphy to keep the Lions in check and the Monks did not look back as they extended their lead to a comfortable 11 points.

Murphy paced the Monks with a career-high 34 points (9-of-18 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from three and 12-of-17 from the foul line), 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while tournament MVP Marcus Alexander had 14 points and 7 rebounds. Colby Emmons came off the bench and had a double-double, 14 poinst and a game-high 11 rebounds. Pulkkinen chipped in with 12.

Tryeek Byard led three Lincoln players in double figures with 19 points. Miller added 16 points and Dante Blanton contributed 13 points.

Courtesy of Newbury College Sports Information Offfice

Brookline, MA - Playing in the last home game of their careers, senior Sonny Abraham (Lynn, MA/Lynn English) and senior Steven Morris (Somerville, MA/Somerville) and the Newbury College Nighthawks beat Saint Joseph’s College by a score of 74-68 tonight.

The Nighthawks were led by juniors Ivan DaSilva (New Bedford, MA/West Bridgewater) and captain Arch Mitchell (Framingham, MA/Framingham) with 15 points apiece in the victory over the Monks. Rookie Heman Honore (Medford, MA/St. Clements’s) contributed 12 points for the Nighthawks. Rookie Javon Mathis (West Hartford, CT/Plainville) had the only double-double on the night with 10 points and grabbed down 13 rebounds respectively. Senior captain Steven Morris dished out 9 assists in the huge conference win.

Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME/Windham) led all scorers and the Monks with 21 points on the night. Fellow teammates R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT/Hamden) and Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL/Niceville) both contributed 11 points in the loss. Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY/Albany Academy) added 10 points for the Monks.

Saint Joseph’s completes an outstanding regular season at 18-7. The Nighthawks end their regular season play with an impressive record of 14-11.

The fourth-seeded Nighthawks will play top seed Lincoln University on Friday February 23, 2007 at 5 PM at St. Joe's in the Association of D3 Independents Tournament, with the #3 seed Pequots of Mitchell College taking on #2 St. Joe's at
7 PM.

Standish, ME – Saint Joseph's College has been selected to host the Association of D3 Independents Northeast Regional Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Lincoln University of Pennsylvania secured the top seed and Saint Joseph's College earned the #2 seed. Rounding out the field are Mitchell College (#3) and Newbury College (#4).

AT SAINT JOSEPH'S COLLEGE
Friday 2/23/07
#4 Newbury vs. #1 Lincoln, 5 p.m.
#3 Mitchell vs. #2 Saint Joseph’s, 7 p.m.

Saturday 2/24/07
Consolation Game, 1 p.m.
Championship Game, 3 p.m.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) guard Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, Maine/Windham H.S.) has been selected as the Association of Division III Independents men’s basketball Player of the Week for the third time this season.

In a 2-1 week, Pulkkinen averaged 15 points and three assists per game. The guard became the 28th player in St. Joseph’s history to reach the 1,000-point milestone in a 99-82 win over Maine-Fort Kent.

Standish, ME – Five players scored in double figures to lift the SJC men’s basketball team to a 99-82 win over Maine Fort Kent. GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) became the 28th player in St. Joe’s history to reach the 1,000-point milestone and led the Monks with a game-high 22 points.

Also getting into the record books was SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) who broke the single-season steals record with his 112th theft of the season. The previous record was 111 set by Alan Fields (1990-91). Murphy notched his third double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The Monks (17-6) started the game off with a bang thanks to a dunk by SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) to open the scoring. SO Scot Vachon (Schenectady, NY) kept St. Joe’s on track, recording 5 of his 11 points to take a 12-3 lead early. Murphy stretched it to 35-19 with a jumper at 4:22 and a trey by SR Matt Plummer (Naples, ME) sent the Monks into the break with a 50-35 advantage.

St. Joe’s maintained a 16-point lead for the first 10 minutes of the second half, but the Bengals (15-10) used an 8-2 run to close the gap to 7 points after a three-point play by JR Gediminas Sumyla (Vilnius, Lithuania) made it 71-64 at 8:42.

The Monks regained command with an 11-2 run of their own to go up 82-66 with 6:16 to play. SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) scored 8 of his 10 points in the half en route to his first double-double of the season (10 points, 13 rebounds) and helped seal the victory.

Standish, ME – Bowdoin College earned an 87-83 overtime win over the Monks and SR Kevin Bradley became the 17th player in school history to score 1,000 points for the Polar Bears. Bradley finished with 11 points and was joined by the other members of the Bowdoin starting line-up in double-digit scoring. Andrew Hippert scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Polar Bears.

Bowdoin took a 13-8 lead over the opening five minutes, but SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) made it 18-18 on a jumper with 8:48 to go in the half. Bradley put Bowdoin back on top with a trey at 8:03 to push his career total to 1,001. The Monks (16-6) took a slim 36-34 lead into the break.

SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) got the crowd on its feet with blocked shots on two consecutive Bowdoin possessions and sparked a 13-5 run that put the Monks up 59-49 with 10 minutes to play. The Polar Bears answered with back-to-back treys by Mark Phillips and Bradley to cut the lead to four.

St. Joe’s extended the lead to nine on a jumper by Murphy at 4:51, but Hippert closed the gap to 67-64 with two treys for the Polar Bears. Jordan Fliegel tied the game at 71 with 1:31 remaining and Murphy connected on a pair of free throws to put the Monks up. Fliegel tied the game once again and forced the overtime period.

Bowdoin (15-9) went up by five to start the overtime and SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) cut it to three with a layup at 3:09. St. Joe’s would get no closer as the Polar Bears knocked down 6 of 7 free throws during the final 1:33 to secure the win.

The Monks were led by Murphy with 18 points, GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) with 14 points and Alexander recorded a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds).

Andrew Sargeantson notched a double-double for Bowdoin with 19 points, 10 rebounds while Fliegel finished with 16 points and Kyle Jackson had 14.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) guard Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, Maine/Windham H.S.) has been selected as the Association of Division III Independents Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the second time this season.

During a 3-0 week, Pulkkinen averaged 21.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and grabbed four steals. In a 72-67 road win over Maine-Machias, he drilled a three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds remaining, forcing an overtime period. On the week, Pulkkinen shot an impressive 51 percent from the field (20-of-39) and 52 percent from behind the arc (13-of-25).

Standish, ME - Sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) scored all 17 of his points in the second half as the Monks (16-5) defeated Newbury College 82-65 on Saturday at the Alfond Center.

The Monks raced out to a 7-0 start over the first two minutes of play but the Nighthawks responded and took a 10-9 lead on a jumper by Sonny Abraham at 16:40. Herman Honore recorded all four of his blocked shots in the half to keep Newbury within striking distance.

The lead changed five times over the next seven minutes. SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) put St. Joe’s up 18-16 and the Monks would go into the break with a 37-32 edge. GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) recorded 11 of his game-high 19 points in the half.

St. Joe’s went on a 7-2 run to begin the second stanza, punctuated by a dunk by Alexander, assisted by Murphy. The highlight of the half came with just over 12 minutes remaining in the game. As the shot clock was winding down, Murphy recovered a tipped ball and drained a beyond-half court shot as the buzzer sounded, bringing the SJC student section to their feet.

Despite being down by as much as 16 points, the Nighthawks (12-10) battled back and cut the lead to six with 7 minutes to go on a jumper by Abraham. Pulkkinen drilled one of his four three-pointers and SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) hit a jumper to put the Monks up 69-59.

Murphy extended the lead with 8 points over the next minute and a half, knocking down a trey, converting a three-point play and intercepting a Newbury pass and taking it down court for a dunk.

Alexander finished with 13 points and SO R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) chipped in with 10 points. The Nighthawks were led by Abraham with 14 points and Arch Mitchell with 12 points.

The Monks host Bowdoin College on Tuesday, February 13, at 7 p.m.

Courtesy of UNE Sports Information Office

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Guard Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, Maine) buried four second-half three-pointers as the Saint Joseph's College Monks outscored the University of New England Nor'easters 47-30 to pull away for a 81-64 non-conference men's basketball victory Thursday evening at the Campus Center.

After the two teams played to a 34-all tie in the first half, the Monks started the second half on a 18-8 run to assume a 52-42 advantage. Pulkkinen drilled a trio of three-pointers during the surge, which was capped by a pair of free throws by Marcus Alexander '07 (Niceville, Fla.) at the 14:11 mark.

Consecutive layups by Steve Belmonte '09 (Seaford, N.Y.) and Tom Button '07 (Lyndeborough, N.H.) brought UNE within six (52-46). The Monks responded with a 11-3 run to take control. Alexander capped the run with consecutive drives to give St. Joe's a 63-49 advantage with 8:24 remaining.

Pulkinnen netted 18 of his game-high 26 points in the second half. Alexander ended the evening with 20 points and six rebounds for St. Joe's, while Elbie Murphy '09 (Loudonville, N.Y.) contributed 15 points, nine steals and eight boards.

Belmonte led the way for the Nor'easters (4-19), scoring 12 points and handing out three assists. Guards Nick Farynaz '07 (Gray, Maine) and John Marriott '08 (Fairfax, Vt.) added 11 points apiece. Button tallied nine points and hauled in a game-high 11 caroms.

The Monks (15-5) utilized a swarming defense to pick up 19 steals on 23 UNE turnovers. Winners of six straight, they host Newbury College Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Machias, ME – It took an overtime, but the Monks brought home a difficult 72-67 win over Maine Machias last night. St. Joe’s improves to 14-5 overall and has won five games in a row. The Clippers stand at 17-6.

A three-pointer by GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) with six seconds to play in regulation tied the score at 59 and sent the game into overtime.

Despite forcing 15 Clipper turnovers in the first half, the Monks carried only a slim 28-25 lead into the break. Pulkkinen scored 9 of his team-high 20 points in the first half and SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) added 8 of his 16 points.

The teams battled in the second half with the Clippers outscoring the Monks 34-31 but the trey by Pulkkinen sparked the Monks as they went into the overtime period.

Machias scored first to take the lead, but SO RJ Mattison (Hamden, CT) drilled a three to put the Monks up 62-61. SR Matt Plummer (Naples, ME) scored four of his nine points in the overtime to give St. Joe’s a 70-65 edge with 1:14 remaining. Pulkkinen closed out the game netting two free throws with 37 seconds to play and SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) rebounded a missed three-point attempt by the Clippers to seal the win.

Two SJC men’s basketball players are once again ranked in the weekly NCAA Division III statistics. Sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY/Albany Academy) leads the nation in steals with 4.6 per game and GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME/Windham HS) is ranked 31st in free-throw percentage with 86.2%.

As a team, the Monks are ranked 11th in steals per game with 12.2 and are 25th in scoring margin, beating opponents by an average of 12.5 points per game.

Standish, ME – GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) scored 17 points and SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) added 16, but it was a stellar effort on the defensive end that led the SJC men’s basketball team to a 91-41 victory over Thomas College on Saturday.

The Monks (13-5) held Thomas to just 17 first-half points, as the Terriers connected on just 7 of 36 shots (19.4%). St. Joe’s exploded for 55 points in the half, highlighted by two spectacular dunks.

During the first ten minutes of play, SO Scot Vachon (Schenectady, NY) set up Alexander for an alley-oop dunk. With six minutes remaining in the half, FR Raymond Eatmon (Huntington, NY) treated the crowd to a rim-rattling one-handed dunk to put St. Joe’s up 40-5.

After the break, the Terriers (4-16) came out fighting and had a brief 11-5 run over the first five minutes but SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) put the Monks back on track. St. Joe’s went on to outscore Thomas 36-24 in the half and held them to just 25 percent from the floor.

Thomas College was led by Jim Veino with 10 points.

The Monks are at the University of New England on Thursday, Feb. 8th, for a doubleheader match-up with the women's team, tipoffs at 5:30 and 7:30 PM.

GORHAM, Maine – Senior guard Marcus Alexander (Niceville, Fla./Niceville) led four players in double-figures, notching a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, to lead the Saint Joseph’s College Monks to a 80-58 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a non-conference basketball game Tuesday evening at Hill Gymnasium on USM’s Gorham campus.

With the win, Saint Joseph’s improves to 12-5 overall while Southern Maine drops to 6-13 on the season. The win secures the Costello Cup for the Monks who lead the Huskies 10-8 in the overall series. Southern Maine had won the previous three meetings.

Alexander was an outstanding 7-for-9 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line en route to his game-high total. Sophomores, forward Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, N.Y./Albany) and guard R.J. Mattison (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) and grad student Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, Maine/Windham) scored 14 points apiece for the Monks.

Sophomore guard Troy Gabriele (Camden, Maine/Camden Hills) led the Huskies with 11 points off of the bench, while junior guard Josh Daniels (Everett, Wash./
Maine Central Institute) was the only other USM player in double figures with 10 points.

The Monks shot a stellar 51.4 percent (18-for-35) in the first half to open up a 40-29 lead at the break. Alexander scored nine of his 19 points in the opening stanza and senior forward Colby Emmons (Portland, Maine/Portland) tossed in eight points.

Saint Joseph’s scored the first seven points of the second half to increase its advantage to 18 points, 47-29, and never led by less than 14 points the rest of the way en route to the 80-58 final.

Southern Maine shot just 32.7 percent from the field, connecting on 18 of its 55 field goal attempts and was hampered by 16 turnovers. The Monks finished the game shooting 52.5 percent (32-for-61) from the floor and were 40 percent (6-for-15) from the three-point line.

The Monks next play host to Thomas College at the Alfond Center in Standish on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m.

Standish, ME – SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) tossed in 18 points to lead St. Joe’s to its second straight victory, 89-62, over Lyndon State College.

GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) had 15 points and SO R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) recorded 15 points for the Monks.

St. Joe’s pressure defense forced Lyndon State into 30 turnovers and allowed just 24 first half points. A basket by SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) at 15:34 made it 17-7 and the lead ballooned to as much as 29 points in the first half. The Monks (11-5) exploded for 51 points and went into the break up 51-24.

The Hornets (6-10) matched the Monks basket for basket, 38-38, in the second half, but were unable to get any closer than 21 points. JR Brad Durr (Windam, CT) knocked down a shot from long range for 3 of his 18 points and SO PJ Danforth (Concord, VT) scored a lay-up to make it 75-54 with 6:34 to go.

St. Joe’s outscored the Hornets 14-8 during the final six minutes.

SR Brad Fowler and FR Joe Visker (Essex, VT) both scored 10 points for Lyndon State.

Castine, ME – GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) scored 22 points including 6 of 10 treys, to lead the Monks to an 84-60 win at Maine Maritime. St. Joe’s improves to 10-5, while Maritime drops to 7-7 overall.

St. Joe’s set the tone early, building a 26-5 lead with 12 minutes to go in the first half. The Mariners struggled to find scoring opportunities as the Monks maintained a 20-point lead for the remainder of the half. The lead swelled to 25 points, 40-15, at the 4:31 mark and St. Joe’s went into the break up 44-24.

The Monks controlled the second half and the Mariners were unable to break into the 20-point cushion despite scoring 36 second half points. St. Joe’s outscored Maritime 40-36 and shot 51.9% from the field and 57% from behind the arc for the game.

SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) finished with 16 points and 7 assists and SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) had 13 points.

The Mariners were led by Derek DiFrederico with 16 points and Brandon Hall with 11 points.

The Monks return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 24, taking on Lyndon State at 7:30 PM.

KANSAS CITY, MO. - Basketball student-athlete Elbie Murphy of Saint Joseph’s College, was named today as the recipient of the Association of Division III Independents Student-Athlete of the Month award for December 2006. 
  
Murphy, a sophomore from Loudonville, NY, averaged 10 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 steals during the month.  Murphy also dished out 19 assists and blocked eight shots in six games, four of which were victories.

Standish, ME – The Saint Joseph's College men’s basketball team pushed the #21 nationally-ranked Bates squad to the limit before falling 89-80 last night. GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) scored a game-high 27 points in 40 minutes of action, but the Bobcats withstood a late run to hold off the upset-minded Monks.

The first half was marked by five lead changes with the Bobcats (12-2) taking a 27-22 lead after a trey by JR Pat Halloran (Plymouth, NH) at 7:06. Pulkkinen scored nine points in the final 6 minutes of the half and SO R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) drilled a three-pointer to pull the Monks to within 2, 42-40, at the break.

SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) tied the game at 42 with a basket to start the second half. Pulkkinen put the Monks up 57-51 with a three pointer at 13:17, but the Bobcats responded with a 9-0 run to take a 60-57 lead at 10:10.

A dunk by SO Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) cut the lead to one and St. Joe’s went up after a shot by Alexander at 9:27.

The teams were deadlocked at 69 with 6:23 to go and Bates went on an 8-0 run to go up 76-69. Murphy brought to Monks to within 3, 80-77, after a basket and a free throw with 31 seconds to go.

The Bobcats made 8 of 9 free throws down the stretch to the secure the win.

Halloran led Bates with 24 points and 3 other players (Bryan Wholey 14pts, Zak Ray 14 pts, Rob Stockwell 12 pts) recorded double digits for the Bobcats.

Murphy finished with 19 points and Mattison had 9 points for St. Joe’s.

Waterville, ME - GR Chad Pulkinnen (Windham, ME) recorded 22 points to lift the Monks to an 85-66 win over Thomas College last night. Three other players scored in double digits as the St. Joe's offense came to life in the second half. With the win, the Monks improve to 9-4 on the season.

The teams battled to a 37-37 deadlock in a first half marked by nine lead changes. St. Joe's built a six-point lead on a basket and free throw by senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) to make it 37-31 at 2:39. The Terriers responded with a three-pointer by Reggie Jett at 1:14 and tied the game with five seconds to go in the half on a three by Adam Rich.

The Monks started the second half with a pair of three-pointers by Pulkkinen and a three by senior Pat Mileski (Cape Elizabeth, ME) and went on to outscore the Terriers 48-29 on 62% shooting.

Sophomore R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) had 16 points and sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) and Alexander each had 13 points apiece.

Thomas was led by Darrell Alexander with 18 points and Jett with 16 points

Jamaica, NY – The SJC men’s basketball team exploded for 42 second-half points to earn a 71-69 road win over York College. Sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) led the Monks with 26 points and 5 steals. With the win, St. Joe’s improves to 7-4 overall.

After a hard-fought first half, the Monks found themselves down 36-29 at the break, but Murphy and senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) kept St. Joe’s within striking distance.

The Cardinals (7-5) held a 6-point lead with 12 minutes to go, but St. Joe’s used a 7-0 run that was sparked by a three-pointer by sophomore R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) to close the gap and take a slim 1-point advantage. York regained the lead briefly, 51-49 on a three by Jeffrey Boone, but Mattison drilled another three to put the Monks up for good.

The teams battled right up until the buzzer and a dunk by Murphy with thirty five seconds to go helped secure the SJC victory.

Alexander finished with 15 points and Mattison had 12 points for St. Joe’s. York was led by Aaron Wilson with 17 points and Boone had 16 points.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Saint Joseph’s College guard Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, Maine) has been selected as the Association of Division III Independents Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

In a 1-1 week, Pulkkinen averaged 19.5 points per game and shot 81 percent from the free throw line. He chipped in 21 points and three rebounds in a 73-53 win over Husson College and added 18 points in a loss to Colby. Pulkkinen, who is coached by Rob Sanicola, was named to The Maine Event All-Tournament Team.

Standish, ME – Colby College defeated Saint Joseph's College, 73-61, in the Maine Event Championship game this afternoon. Five players reached double digits for the Mules who improve to 7-3 overall while St. Joe’s drops to 6-4.

FR Adam Choice (Newport, R.I.) opened the scoring with a three-pointer at 19:04 to put Colby up and the Mules would maintain the lead for the entire game. Three consecutive baskets by SR Nick Farrell (Aspen, CO) and Choice made it 12-3, but St. Joe’s scored six quick points.

The Monks cut the lead to 1 with just over three minutes to play in the half after a jumper by FR Raymond Eatmon (Huntington, NY) and a free throw by SO Elbie Murphy (Loundonville, NY) but Colby held a 33-28 advantage going into the break.

St. Joe’s struggled to find a rhythm to start the second stanza and Colby used a 13-3 run during the first five minutes to stretch the lead to 15. Baskets by SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) and GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) made it 46-35. A jumper by Farrell at 11:25 put Colby up by 17, but the Monks continued to chip away.

SO Mitch Ouellet (Fort Kent, ME) cut the lead to seven at 6:35 and Colby responded with a basket by JR Mark Gaudet (Bingham, ME). Eatmon scored to make it 59-52, but that would be as close as St. Joe’s would get.

Colby outscored the Monks 14-9 during the final 2:30 with Pulkkinen scoring seven of the nine SJC points.

The Mules were led by Farrell (18 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds), SR Drew Cohen (Briarcliff Manor, NY) (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Choice (12 points, 7 rebounds). Gaudet and SR Michael Westbrooks (Dublin, Ireland) scored 10 points apiece.

Four Monks recorded double figures, Pulkkinen (18), Eatmon (12), Murphy (11) and Alexander (11).

Consolation Game
Husson 77, Southern Maine 73

Husson College used a 43-point second half to hold off Southern Maine and take the consolation game of the Maine Event Tournament today. The Eagles improve to 8-2 overall while USM stands at 4-7.

The teams battled back and forth in a first half which included five lead changes. A jumper by JR Sheraud Lee (Bridgeport, CT) gave Husson an 18-11 advantage at 9:58 but the Huskies tied the game after a pair of free throws by SO Charlie O’Neill (Seymour, CT) and five points by JR Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, VT).

USM took a 23-18 lead at 6:53 after a 12-0 run, but the teams went into half-time deadlocked, 34-34.

Husson took control in the second half, connecting on 15 of 24 shots (62.5%) and outscoring the Huskies 43-39. Southern Maine closed the gap to 65-64 at 5:07 on a three-pointer by O’Neill but the Eagles recorded 10 points in the final five minutes to secure the win.

SR Tyler Muzzy (Greenville, ME) scored a game-high 24 points and FR Martin Cleveland (Portland, ME) had 19 points for Husson. The Huskies were led by JR Josh Daniels (Everett, WA) with 17 points and Coppenrath and O’Neill had 14 points apiece.

The Maine Event All-Tournament Team
MVP-Nick Farrell Colby
Adam Choice Colby
Chad Pulkkinen SJC
Martin Cleveland Husson
Drew Coppenrath USM

12/29/06 - The Maine Event Men’s Basketball Tournament
Monks down Husson, Colby Tops Southern Maine

Standish, ME – Three Monks scored in double figures as host Saint Joseph's College defeated Husson College, 73-53, in game 2 of The Maine Event Tournament. St. Joe’s will face Colby College in the Championship game tomorrow at 3 PM and Husson will take on Southern Maine in the Consolation game at 1 PM. With the win, the Monks improve to 6-3 and Husson stands at 7-2.

St. Joe’s jumped out to an early 13-6 lead on an offensive rebound and basket by SR Colby Emmons (Portland, ME), but the Eagles stayed close. The Monks remained in control after a three-pointer by sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) and a lay-up by senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) at the 11-minute mark. Husson pulled to within one as FR Brock Bradford (Kenduskeag, ME) knocked down a three and JR Sheraud Lee (Bridgeport, CT) scored at 9:20.

The Monks closed out the half with a 5-0 run and went into the break up 35-30 after a steal and lay-up by Murphy and a three-pointer by GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) with 6.5 seconds.

The teams traded baskets to start the second half but Alexander and Pulkkinen helped the Monks pull away 46-37. A tip-in and three-pointer by FR Ray Eatmon (Huntington, NY) and a three pointer by SO R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) gave St. Joe’s a commanding 54-40 lead at 11:00.

Eagles FR Martin Cleveland (Portland, ME) fought back with six points during the final 10 minutes, but the Monks answered Cleveland’s dunk with a back door lay-up by Pulkkinen at 3:35 to preserve a 14 point edge. A baseline jump shot by senior Bernard Castor (Mattapan, MA) at 1:25 made it 73-53 and gave the Monks their biggest lead of the game.

Pulkkinen scored a game-high 21 points, Murphy finished with 17 points, 6 steals, 5 blocks and 5 rebounds and Alexander had 11 points. The Eagles were led by Cleveland with 19 points and SR Jason Harvey (Bucksport, ME) had 10.

Colby 78, Southern Maine 59

Colby College defeated Southern Maine, 78-59, in the 5 PM game of the Maine event. The Mules exploded for 47 second half points to earn the win and will face the Monks in the Championship game at 3 pm tomorrow.

The teams traded baskets for much of the first half with Southern Maine going into the break with a 33-31 lead. JR Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, VT) scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half for the Huskies. SR Drew Cohen (Briarcliff Manor, NY) recorded 8 points in the half for the Mules and JR Mark Gaudet (Bingham, ME) was perfect from the floor in the half, also netting 8 points.

Colby took advantage of a 22-6 run to begin the second stanza and maintained control for the rest of the way. The Mules stretched the lead to 15 (57-42) at the 12:11 mark and prompted a USM timeout.

The Huskies responded with baskets by Coppenrath and FR Greg Whitaker (Presque Isle, ME) to cut the lead to 12. Whitaker drained a baseline jumper at 7:09 to make it 60-50 and force a Colby timeout.

The Mules went on a 9-0 run after the timeout to secure the win. Gaudet scored a game-high 17 points to help Colby improve to 6-3 overall and FR Adam Choice (Newport, RI) added 15 points. The Huskies were led by Coppenrath (12) and Whitaker (11) and are 4-6 overall.

Southern Maine will face Husson in the Consolation game tomorrow at 1 pm.

12/11/06 - Monks Edged by Farmington

Farmington, ME - Maine-Farmington outscored St. Joe’s 34-24 in the second half to secure a 61-55 win over the Monks last night. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for St. Joe’s (5-3) and UMF improves to 4-3 overall.

The first half included five ties, but the Monks held the lead for most of the half going into the break up 32-27. St. Joe’s would lead by as much as nine in the second half as a lay-up by senior Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) made it 40-31 at 14:55.

Farmington responded with a 13-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 44-40 lead but back-to-back baskets by senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) and sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) put the Monks ahead. Farmington reclaimed the lead, using a 7-1 run over the next five minutes to build a six-point lead with 3:02 to play.

The Monks pulled to within two on a three-pointer by Murphy with 16 seconds to go, but Farmington converted four free throws in the final 14 seconds to secure the win.

Murphy led St. Joe’s with a game-high 18 points and GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) had 10 points.

The squad returns to action on Friday, December 29th at 7 PM, taking on Husson College in the The Maine Event hosted by SJC. Southern Maine plays Colby College in the 5 PM game.

Standish, ME – Sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) continues to impress and netted 19 points to help the Monks to an 82-69 victory over Framingham State tonight. Murphy grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 8 assists as St. Joe’s improves to 5-2.

The Rams were led by freshman Bill Carey (Abington, MA) with a game-high 21 points. Earlier in the season, Framingham had beaten perennial DIII powerhouse Williams College, so this was a great win for the Monks.

The Monks controlled the game from the tap, racing out to an 8-0 lead until senior Derek Wigman (Pembroke, MA) scored Framingham’s first points of the game with two free throws at 16:27. St. Joe’s led by as much as 19 in the half, but the Rams (6-3) mounted a comeback, draining back-to-back three-pointers during the final two minutes of the half and closed the gap to 37-27 at the break.

A slight 45-44 scoring advantage would be all the Monks needed in the second stanza to hold off the Rams.

In addition to Murphy, four other players scored in double digits for the Monks. Senior Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) shot a perfect 7 for 7 from the floor for 14 points and GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) had 13 points. Senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) and sophomore R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Framingham had two other players in double digits, junior Michael Costa (Holbrook, MA) recorded 16 points and 8 rebounds and junior Rob Scarpato (Hopkinton, MA) had 10 points and 8 rebounds.

St. Joe’s hosts the Maine Event Tournament and plays Husson College on Friday, December 29th at 7 PM.

Presque Isle, ME – The Monks defeated Maine Presque Isle 87-60 on Saturday (Dec. 2) in the first of two games in "the County”. GR Chad Pulkikinen (Windham, ME) and sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) paced St. Joe’s with 25 and 24 points, respectively.

The Monks connected on 6 of 11 shots from behind the arc in the first half and built a 48-31 lead at the break. St. Joe’s kept the pressure on the Owls during the second half and shot 51% from the floor. Sophomore R.J. Mattison (Hamden, CT) finished with 15 points for St. Joe’s.

Presque Isle’s Rodney Montgomery netted 18 points in the loss.

Fort Kent, ME – Senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) led the way with a game-high 16 points on Sunday (Dec. 3) as St. Joe’s earned a 71-42 win over Fort Kent. GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) had 12 points and senior Colby Emmons (Portland, ME) chipped in with 10 points.

After being up 8 at the half, St. Joe’s pulled away in the second stanza, outscoring the Bengals 41-20. The SJC defense forced 27 Fort Kent turnovers.

Akstinas Edmundas was the only Fort Kent player to score in double digits with 10 points.

The Monks host Framingham State on Wednesday, December 6 at 7:30 PM.

Bangor, ME - Despite a 23 points, 8 rebounds, 9 steals performance by sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY), the Monks dropped an 80-67 decision at Husson last night. Jason Harvey scored a game-high 25 points to secure the victory for the Eagles.

The teams traded baskets over the opening minutes of play, but Husson took advantage of a 9-0 run to take a 12-3 lead early in the first half. The Eagles stretched the lead to 13 with five minutes to play in the half but senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) and Murphy helped the Monks close the gap to 38-32 at the half.

Chad Pulkinnen (Windham, ME) drilled a three-pointer to bring St. Joe’s (2-2) to within 3 to start the second half, but the Monks would get no closer, as the Eagles kept the lead throughout the half.

The Monks had double-digit performances from three other players in addition to Murphy; Alexander and Pulkinnen had 12 and 11 points, respectively, and senior Pat Mileski (Cape Elizabeth, ME) finished with 11 points.

The Monks make their annual trek to "the County" to play at Maine-Presque Isle on Saturday, December 2nd at 3 PM and at Maine-Fort Kent on Sunday, December 3rd at 2 PM.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) sophomore forward Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, N.Y.) has been selected as the Association of Division III Independents men’s basketball Player of the Week.

Murphy led the Monks to a 64-41 victory over Maine-Farmington on Tuesday, Nov. 21. On the game, he shot 10-of-13 from the floor and was 6-of-7 from the free throw line on his way to a game-high 26 points. He also grabbed eight boards and had seven steals. Murphy is coached by Rob Sanicola.

Standish, ME – Sophomore Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY) led all scorers with a career-high 26 points and added 7 steals as a packed Alfond Center crowd watched the Monks earn a convincing 64-41 win over Maine-Farmington.

The teams traded baskets over the first few minutes of play, but after taking an 8-6 lead at 15:10, the Monks never trailed again in the contest. Murphy recorded 15 first- half points as St. Joe’s built a 34-17 half-time lead.

The St. Joe’s defense forced 27 turnovers and held UMF to 32% shooting from the floor. Grad captain Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) scored 11 points and senior Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) finished with 8 points.

Junior Isaac Hutchinson (Oakland, ME) led Farmington with 20 points and junior Matt St. John (Wayne, ME) chipped in with 7 points.

The Monks (2-1) travel to Husson College on Tuesday, November 28th for a 7 p.m. game.

11/18/06 - Bridgewater State Captures Subway Tip-Off Classic Title

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Bridgewater State College men’s basketball team defeated Salve Regina University by a score of 75-62 to capture the 2006 BSC Subway Tip-Off Classic title this afternoon from the Adrian Tinsley Center in Bridgewater. The Bears have now opened the season 2-0 for the third straight year as they have now won three consecutive tip-off tournament championships.

Bridgewater State junior guard Tom Cuddihy (Scituate, MA) took home tournament MVP and All-Tournament honors as he led Bridgewater with 24 points and 3 steals in the championship game win over the Seahawks. Cuddihy averaged 18 points, to go along with 7 assists and 4 steals in the tournament. He tallied 12 points, 2 assists, and 2 blocks in the Bears’ 75-62 semifinal win over St. Joseph’s College on Friday night.

Senior forward Derek Thompson (Hyannis, MA) was also named to the All-Tournament Team for the Bears. Thompson had two strong performances as he tallied 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists in the two games. He scored 19 points to go along with 9 rebounds, and 2 steals in the championship victory over Salve.

In the championship game, Bridgewater spotted the Seahawks a 12-1 lead through the first four minutes of play before the Bears finally got untracked. BSC went on an 18-5 run to take their first lead of the game, 19-17. After Salve came back to tie the game up at 21 apiece, the Bears closed out the half with a 12-6 run to take a 33-27 lead into halftime. Cuddihy tallied 13 points in the opening stanza as he connected on 3 three-pointers.

In the second half, BSC built the lead to as much as 17 points before settling for the 75-62 win. Thompson poured in 11 of his 19 points in the final 20 minutes, while Cuddihy also scored 11 points in the frame. The Bears forced 26 turnovers in the game while Salve struggled at the free throw line converting just 13 of 24 foul shots.

Senior forward Matt Grendal (Foxboro, MA) led the Seahawks with 21 points as he was an all-tournament selection as well. Grendal averaged 23.5 points in the tournament as he also scored 26 points in the Seahawks’ semifinal win over Maine-Machias.

In the tournament consolation game, St. Joseph’s College defeated Maine-Machias, 82-69 led by a 21-point performance by guard Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME). Pulkkinen was selected to the All-Tournament Team as he averaged 16.5 points and 3.5 assists. Senior forward Pat Mileski (Cape Elizabeth, ME) added 17 points off the bench as he connected on 5-of-10 three-point attempts.

Maine-Machias freshman center David Butler (Teaneck, NJ) rounded out the all-tournament team as he led all players with 53 points, including a 33-point performance in the Clippers 81-61 semi-final loss to Salve Regina University on Friday evening. Butler averaged 26.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.0 blocks in the tournament.

BSC Men’s Basketball Subway Tip-Off Classic

Schedule & Results

Friday, November 17th
Semifinal #1 – Salve Regina University 81, University of Maine-Machias 61
Semifinal #2 – Bridgewater State College 66, St. Joseph’s College 49

Saturday, November 18th
Consolation – St. Joseph’s College 82, University of Maine-Machias 69
Championship – Bridgewater State College 75, Salve Regina University 62


All Tournament Team

Tom Cuddihy, Bridgewater State College (MVP)
Matt Grendal, Salve Regina University
Chad Pulkkinen, Saint Joseph’s College
David Butler, University of Maine-Machias
Derek Thompson, Bridgewater State College

Bridgwater State College Subway Tipoff Classic
Bridgewater State, Salve Regina Advance to Tournament Title Game

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State College and Salve Regina men’s basketball teams both advanced to the championship game of the 2006 BSC Subway Tip-Off Classic. Salve Regina University defeated the University of Maine at Machias in the opening game of the tournament, 81-61, while Bridgewater rolled to a 66-49 victory over Saint Joseph’s College in the other semifinal match-up.

In BSC’s win over Saint Joseph’s, senior guard Adam Rose (Harwich, MA) led all scorers with 15 points. He also added ten rebounds and four steals, finishing with a double-double. Teammate Roland Millien (Stoughton, MA) also posted a double-double as he tallied 13 points and 16 boards to go along with two steals. Eleven of his tournament record-setting 16 rebounds came in the second half alone.

The game turned late in the first half with Bridgewater leading 30-28, when Millien slammed home a two-handed dunk with 37 seconds left. He then converted a lay-up with 13 seconds remaining to give BSC a 34-28 lead heading into the locker room. The Bears maintained that momentum in the second half as they outscored the Monks 12-4 over the first 6 ½ minutes. Bridgewater would hold a double digit lead for the remainder of the game.

In the earlier semifinal, Salve Regina led wire-to-wire as they picked up the 20-point victory. Senior forward Matt Grendal (Foxboro, MA) paced the Seahawks with 26 points. He was 11 for 16 from the floor, tying the tournament single game record for most field goals. Sophomore guard Justin Woodworth (Ipswich, MA) added 18 points connecting on 6 of 7 three point attempts. Woodworth also tied a tournament single game mark for most made three-pointers.

University of Maine-Machias freshman center David Butler (Teaneck, NJ) led all scorers, as he posted a double-double with 33 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 4 blocks. Butler broke tournament single-game records for points, blocks, free throws (11), free throw attempts (14), as well as tying the mark of 11 field goals made.

The tournament concludes tomorrow with Bridgewater and Salve meeting in the championship game at 3 o’clock. The consolation game will tip-off at 1 p.m. featuring St. Joseph’s College and UMaine-Machias.