Franklin Pierce Handles Assumption, 79-67
Three Ravens enjoy career outings, including Sully with 26 points
RINDGE, N.H. (February 2, 2005) - Franklin Pierce collected its fourth-straight home victory with a 79-67 decision over Assumption College to all but seal a postseason bid in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.
Three Franklin Pierce players enjoyed career outings, led by junior Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge Catholic) with a career-best 26 points (14 second half) as he hit ten-of-19 from the field, including 4-9 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds and two steals.
Sophomore Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) posted career-highs of 16 points (10 first half), seven rebounds (five offensive) and three assists. He hit 6-9 from the field, including 2-2 from three-point range, and converted both free-throw attempts. Junior Tom Sadler (Oxford, England/Farmington (N.H.)) grabbed a career and game-best 11 rebounds to go with eight points.
Freshman Darrell Anderson (Kansas City, Kan./The Winchendon School) chipped in 15 points (10 first half), aided by 6-9 shooting from the floor, six rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes off the bench.
Freshman Mike Foti (Franklin, Mass./Franklin) led Assumption with 18 points (12 second half) as he hit 4-7 from the field, including 3-5 from long-distance, and converted all seven free-throw attempts. Senior Brian Robinson (Bayonne, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, while post grad Elijah Bland (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) added 14 points (11 first half), four assists and three boards.
Franklin Pierce came out of a first half, which featured ten lead changes and four ties, with a 39-35 advantage. The Ravens out-rebounded the Greyhounds 22-11 in the stanza (including 11-9 on their own end of the floor) to overcome a 54.5-percent (12-22) shooting performance by the visitors (6-12 three's) by outscoring them 12-4 on second chance opportunities.
Bland buried a three 50-seconds into the second half to pull Assumption within a point (39-38), but the Ravens opened an eight-point lead (49-41) with 15:32 to play with a 10-3 run, sparked by two-straight three's from Mayo.
Assumption drew within a point (59-58) with 7:43 to play when Foti was fouled while attempting a three-pointer and the Ravens were issued a technical foul. Foti hit all five from the stripe, but Sully quickly put Franklin Pierce back up four (62-58) with a three and the Ravens extended their advantage to 11 points (72-61) with a 10-3 spurt as Sully hit back-to-back jumpers and freshman Mitchell Johnson (Nassau, Bahamas/Cushing Academy) drained a three.
The Ravens converted seven of eight free-throws over the final 1:52 to seal the win and put them three games ahead of the Greyhounds for the 12th NE-10 Tournament spot with six games to play.
Franklin Pierce (7-14, 5-11 NE-10) returns to action on Saturday when it visits American International College at 3:30 p.m. Assumption (4-16, 2-13 NE-10) hosts UMass Lowell on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.