Story courtesy of Rob Palardy, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Lesley University men’s basketball team defeated Southern Vermont College 59-58 Tuesday evening in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Quarterfinals behind 22 points from sophomore John Sanchez (CARSON, Calif./Saint John Bosco). The Lynx will next face number one seed Becker College on Friday night at 6:00 pm in Leicester, Massachusetts.

Lesley improved to 9-17 in victory while Southern Vermont saw their season end with a record of 9-16.

In 40 minutes on the court, Sanchez hit 8-of-12 shots from the floor including a three-pointer and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. One of those free throws proved to be the difference-maker in the game as Sanchez hit 1-of-2 attempts with 1:05 remaining in the game to put the Lynx up 59-57. The Mountaineers would manage just one free throw point for the remainder of the game as Lesley held on for victory.

The Mountaineers started the game off quick, as Lance Spratling (PITTSFIELD, Mass./Taconic) scored the first two baskets of the game within the first minute of the first half. Lesley rebounded with a 10-2 run to gain their first lead thanks to five points from Sanchez and baskets from Max Hoevenaar (ORLANDO, Fla./Pine Castle Christian Academy) and Jesus Trejo (METHUEN, Mass./Metheun).

Ten first half points from Spratling and nine points from freshman Derrick Cenicola (HAMILTON, N.Y./Hamilton Central) helped get Southern Vermont back in the game. The Mountaineers regained the lead and stretched their advantage to as large as nine points at 34-25 with 3:17 left until halftime.

Lesley, however, went on a 7-0 run with a three-pointer from senior Matt Grassa (EVERETT, Mass./Everett) and four points from Sanchez to end the half down two points at 34-32.

In the second half, the two teams exchanged the lead three times but Southern Vermont held a three-point lead at 57-54 with 3:18 after a layup made by sophomore forward Cameron Herrington (CAMBRIDGE, N.Y./Cambridge). It was his only basket of the half as Herrington finished with eight points and six rebounds in the game.

On the next Lynx possession, Thorton Paul (BOSTON, Mass./West Roxbury) hit a crucial, game-tying three-pointer with 2:33 remaining. Paul finished with nine points off the bench but his long range jumper put Lesley in a position to win the game down the stretch.

Grassa grabbed a rebound off a missed three-point attempt by Southern Vermont then drew a foul to go to the line for the opportunity to take the lead. The senior captain made 1-of-2 free throws and the Lynx were up 58-57. The Mountaineers missed another jumper on offense and with 1:05 remaining, Sanchez knocked down the decisive free throw to catapult Lesley into their first NECC Semifinal game.

Trejo finished the game with nine points and 16 rebounds and is now one-point shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career.

Lesley now moves on to play number one seed Becker College, a team that has beaten them twice in the regular season. The Hawks won both games in impressive fashion by an average of 22.0 points per game. The game will be played on Friday, February 26 at 6:00 pm on the Becker’s Leicester campus.