CAMBRIDGE, MA – Lesley University overcame a 10-point deficit, climbing out of a five-point hole in the final 2:55 to take a 75-74 nailbiter from Curry College in non-conference play on Thursday.
The Lynx also overcame a nearly unstoppable effort from Curry's Sedale Jones (Pittsfield, MA/Pittsfield), who shot 6-10 from three-point range and 13-15 at the line, scoring 23 of his game-high 39 before halftime, when the Colonels led 46-43.
Three players registered double-figures for Lesley, led by 17 from point guard John Sanchez (Carson, CA/Saint John Bosco), who entered as the league's leading free-throw shooter and hit 11-15 freebies tonight, including a game-winner that broke a 74-74 tie with 15 seconds to play.
Lynx senior Jesus Trejo (Methuen, MA/Methuen) enjoyed the finest game of his final season, as the pivot turned in 15 points and game-highs of 13 rebounds and two blocks for his second double-double this season. Guard Bryant Itonyo (Medford, MA/Medford) added 13 points on 4-7 shooting from downtown.
Jones and Curry came out on top of a nip-tuck first half that saw Lesley jump out to a 7-3 lead on an Itonyo three. A Nicholas Sparacino jumper from just inside the arc put the Lynx ahead 13-8 at the 14:45 mark. A pair of Sanchez free throws three minutes later saw Lesley equal its biggest lead at 20-15, but the rest of the frame was all Colonels.
A 13-3 run capped by four straight Jones points swung the five-point margin in the other direction inside the 9:00 mark, 28-23. His 26-footer from deep on the left wing made it a 31-24 lead and later hit a pair at the line to make it a 42-32 game at the 3:38 mark.
Lesley responded with an 8-0 run crowned by trifectas from freshman Grant Cobb (Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) and Itonyo, going into the half down 46-43.
Curry held onto its lead for the first 6:15 of the second, until another Itonyo trey tied it at 57-57. The tie didn't last a possession, as Jones, much like he did almost all night, answered immediately with a three of his own.
Harold Smith gave Lesley its biggest lead of the second half with a jumper with 10:50 to go that put Lesley up three, 63-60. The teams traded short-lived leads for the next 6:30, when another Jones jumper put Curry ahead by five with 4:20 to play, a lead Malcolm Wynn's club held inside the 3:00 mark.
After a Sanchez steal and wild three-point play on a fast break layup crawled the Lynx to within two at 2:52, a Trejo layup off a Sanchez inbounds tied the contest at 71-71 at the 2:32 mark. Curry's Mike Worrick (North Grafton, MA/Gtafton) and Lesley's Thorton Paul (Boston, MA/West Roxbury) exchanged three-pointers on ensuing possessions, and the game was left tied as the home team inbounded after a Donald Morris timeout with 26 seconds left.
As Sanchez drove base line, Worrick bumped the 5-8 guard on the hip, and Sanchez hit one of two to give his team the lead. After a Curry timeout with 1.8 seconds remaining, Jones caught a heave at halfcout, dribbled and lofted a 35-footer that bounded just left off the top of the rim, sending the Lynx to victory.
Morris' club won the battle of the boards, 38-32, but the game was closer to even in most other measures. Lesley shot 40 percent from the field. Curry shot 39 percent. The Lynx capitalized for 15 points of turnovers. Curry scored 14 points off turnovers. Lesley's bench provided 23 points, and led by 17 from Chris Brown, Curry's bench scored 21.
In a contest that was tied nine times, each team held three leads, but the Lynx led as Jones' jumper bounced off the iron and the final buzzer sounded.
Lesley plays on Saturday at WIT at 1 p.m., while Curry hosts Newbury on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Curry vs Lesley
12/02/10 8 p.m. at Cambridge, MA (Nicholas Athletic Center)
At Cambridge, MA (Nicholas Athletic Center)
LESLEY UNIVERSITY 75, CURRY 74
CURRY (1-5)
Sedale Jones 10-19 13-15 39; Chris Brown 6-10 4-8 17; Michael Connery 2-12
0-0 5; Mike Worrick 2-3 0-0 5; Chris Bonadies 2-6 0-0 4; Andrew Veilleux 1-1
0-0 2; John Durkin 0-1 2-2 2; Eric Guglielmello 0-4 0-0 0; Brian Boyajian
0-1 0-0 0; Paul Donlon 0-0 0-0 0; Tim Farrell 0-2 0-0 0; Kenny Hull 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 23-59 19-25 74.
LESLEY UNIVERSITY (2-4)
John Sanchez 3-10 11-15 17; Jesus Trejo 6-10 3-8 15; Bryant Itonyo 4-8 1-2
13; Harold Smith 3-3 1-2 7; Thornton Paul 1-5 4-4 7; Grant Cobb 2-4 1-4 7;
Nicholas Sparacino 2-4 0-0 5; Mike Kaufman 1-4 0-0 2; Charles Watson 1-7 0-0
2; Myles Mungcal 0-0 0-2 0; Kris Bennett 0-2 0-0 0; Aaron Del Rosario 0-0
0-0 0; D'Elijah Dauphin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 21-37 75.
Curry......................... 46 28 - 74
Lesley University............. 43 32 - 75
3-point goals--Curry 9-27 (Sedale Jones 6-10; Mike Worrick 1-2; Michael
Connery 1-8; Chris Brown 1-2; Eric Guglielmello 0-2; Brian Boyajian 0-1; Tim
Farrell 0-2), Lesley University 8-16 (Bryant Itonyo 4-7; Grant Cobb 2-3;
Thornton Paul 1-2; Nicholas Sparacino 1-2; John Sanchez 0-2). Fouled
out--Curry-None, Lesley University-None. Rebounds--Curry 32 (Mike Worrick
7), Lesley University 38 (Jesus Trejo 13). Assists--Curry 12 (Sedale Jones
5), Lesley University 19 (John Sanchez 11). Total fouls--Curry 23, Lesley
University 18. Technical fouls--Curry-None, Lesley University-None. A-123
