CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Senior night at Lesley University is the last home game of the season and is a time when the fans get to acknowledge and say good bye to the seniors one last time. This year the seniors made sure that the fans would never forget them. Seniors James Parker (Sandwich, Mass.) and Michael Lush (Chelsea, Mass.) poured in game highs of 30 and 22 points respectively as the Lynx beat Elms College for the first time ever, 94-82.
Before the game a ceremony was held honoring the three Lesley seniors, Parker, Lush and Stanley Chamblain (Everett, Mass.). During those remarks it was noted that Parker held the Lesley University record for most three-pointers in a single game with seven. The long range marksman decided to go out and rewrite the record books as he shot a ridiculous 8-12 from deep breaking his old record.
The Lynx were trailing by five at halftime and Parker had just
two three pointers and 10 points at the break. Everything
would change over a 90 second period. Parker opened the
second half making two free-throws. He then went on to hit
three straight three-pointers as he personally outscored Elms 11-0
in the first minute and a half in the second half. Just like
that Lesley went from trailing by five to being up six in just
under 90 seconds.
The 90 second run that Parker and Lesley went on felt like instant replay after instant replay to the several hundred people on hand who witnessed it. Three times in a row Joseph Chatman (Boston, Mass.) drove into the lane and kicked to Parker who was waiting on the left wing ready to bury the three. Chatman got three of his game high eight assists in the 90 second span. Chatman also added 16 points in the win for the Lynx.
After Lesley grabbed the lead with 18:57 remaining in the second half they did not rescind it once. The Blazers got within one point on a Joe Esile three with 7:43 but they were unable to take the lead and Lesley quickly broke the game wide open in the final six minutes.
The Blazers were led by Juan Galdon who had a team-high 16 points. Nathan Hawes, David Williams and Justin Davis added 13, 12, and 12 points respectively in the loss for Elms.
The win was the first against Elms in five tries but was equally important for an entirely different reason. With the win the Lynx secured the #3 spot in the North Atlantic Conference Western Division. Lesley will play Maine Maritime Academy in the quarterfinals of the NAC tournament starting Tuesday, February 20th at Maine Maritime. If the Lynx are able to defeat the Mariners, who they beat 105-87 in Cambridge on December 1st, they then would advance to the NAC final four which would be hosted by the highest remaining seed.
The Lynx will wrap up the regular season Thursday, February 15th as the travel to Colby-Sawyer. For more information on the Lesley men's basketball team please go to their website.