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Knights Basketball eight straight win for the first time since 2006-07 season

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NECC Knights defeated  Roxbury Community College 81 to 54 to win their eight straight game for the first time since 2006-07 season.

NECC Knights faced Roxbury Community College at home on Thursday Feb. 3 it was originally scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip off for a conference division game at the sports and fitness center at the Haverhill campus.  Roxbury arrived late they were stuck in traffic om their way to the sports and fitness center it was a 6:27  tipoff instead of 6:00 p.m.

The Knights stunned everyone defeating Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) 71 to 70 on Feb. 1, on the road handing them their first conference division lost of the season.  

I asked NECC Basketball head coach Darren Stratton a little bit about the game that they played against CCRI that ranked number six nationally. 

 The Knights were the underdogs and stunned everyone to win seven in a row, longest winning streak since the 2006-07 season when they won 14 straight and handing CCRI its  first conference division lost of the season.  

Before the game coach Stratton told me Division 2 and 3 college coaches collegiate spoken to him after the Knights defeated CCRI. Even though it was unexpected but Stratton knows what kind of team this basketball team it’s capable off.

“I thought when CCRI came up here (Dec. 4) we lost that game more than they really beat us. They beat us pretty good they beat us almost close to 50 points and I think it was an embarrassment to the kids because they had kinda a team meeting right after that game and express a lot of their feelings and since that game home against CCRI they kids started to buy in they started to work they understand coming to practice every single day it’s a challenge and you have to work to get better every single day…, Stratton said.   

On January fans were not permitted due to the high spike of Covid and concerning of the omicron virus but know the fans are know permitted during home games. 98 people were attended when the saw the Knights take on Roxbury. 

 How the fans going to react knowing they won seven in a row? 

 “It’s funny you said that because (Athletic Director)  Dan (Blair) mentioned to me the other night and I am going to be honest with you I don’t pay to much attention to the fans but is great for the kids because know we get some of this guys of my back because ‘coach why can’t fans come… ‘finally when I said fans can attend to games the kids went ecstatic … I also understand every precocious taking due to COVID-19, I want to take every precocious possible because I want to continue with the season. So if fans can attend let them attend if they can’t they can’t Dan (Blair) does an excellent job here at the college with social media. All of our games are live streamed, so it’s not the parents or anyone is missing a beat you can watched in YouTube, Facebook live… I think it’s great for the kids because they enjoyed that playing in that kind of atmosphere, Stratton said. 

Stratton told me anything that we need to know before Feb.3 game against Roxbury “We’re going to have our time against Kevin Agyemang. he comes from Dracut, I was recruiting him flat out shorter he shooted 45 percent behind three point line, kids quick savvy he is going to be a tough match up for us.  Roy Kalu number five he is going to be an extremely tough match up for us number one (Jordon- Philip Long) is going to be really tough they are really god loaded. Our gods need to come and perform tonight if our gods don’t show up we going to walk away losing and Roxbury is coming in our gym and whopped us so our gods have to come ready to play… Stratton said.   

Knights and Roxbury getting ready for tipoff on Feb. 3
Knights and Roxbury getting ready for tipoff on Feb. 3 Photo by Jose Rodriguez, Sports Editor

Even though Roxbury won the tip off against the Knights. The gods did show up against Roxbury, Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence he was unstoppable in the first half,  scoring three three pointers in a span of four minutes and 19 seconds. He finished with four three pointers in the first half and finished the game scoring five three pointer he had 19 points on the game.  

Knights were on a 18 to 9 run in the first eight minute of the first period in the game “We been playing really well early on were coming out I just like to see how Cristian (Kinsley) and Daniel (Amarante) have got this guys focused I couldn’t ask for better captains in that aspect I know Cameron (Stratton)  and Daniel (Almarante)  are more vocal type of captains I can’t tribute they are ready to play,” Stratton said.  

The Knights increases their lead with eight minutes left in the first period they were up by 16 having a 32-16 lead.  

Daniel Almarante of Lawrence and Mehmet Asik of Ankara, Turkey both recorded 8 points in the first half. Philip Cunningham of Haverhill had a turnover in the first period. 

Knights were up 42-24. When they went to the locker room they had a 18 points lead on their way winning eight in a row. The Knights had six fouls while Roxbury had seven.  

Knights begin the second period on a 12-2 run Metin Yavuz of Istanbul Turkey was responsible for eight of those points “I thought Metin probably played one of his best game of the season he is coming along. He really control the paint for us and his kinda a throwback as far as the post player goes sordoff like a Kevin McHale (he was a former NBA player and a former coach)  back in the day. He was very effective for us we played great team defense,” Stratton said.  

Knights had seven fouls during the second period while Roxbury only had four in total during the game Knights had 13 fouls and Roxbury had 10. The Knights hold on to defeat Roxbury 81 to 54 to win eight straight game. 

I told Cristian Kinsley about the recent success and the winning streak that they are currently they are in eight game winning streak for the first time since 2006-07 season when they won 14 straight “I mean it’s great to be apart of a eight game winning streak but we wouldn’t been here without coach,” Kinsley said.  

Before the season started if he ever invasion winning eight in a row? 

 “Before the season start I though we had a great team I ain’t going to lie I thought we were a great team we started off slow and know we finally like I said clicked as a unit and we are playing the game of basketball like it supposed to be played,” Kinsley said. 

Knights will try to make it nine straight on Sat. Feb 9 when the Knights will hit the road to face Gateway Community College in Connecticut. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.  

 

Sports

Knights Basketball first six game winning streak since 2008-09 season

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On Thursday, Jan. 27 NECC Knights defeated University of Connecticut at Avery Point for a conference division game 67 to 47 it was a 6 p.m. tip off at the Sports and Fitness Center at the Haverhill campus.  

Knights were looking to win six in the row for the first time since 2008-09 season.  

The Knights were 9-7 overall and 6-2 in conference division game heading into Jan. 27 game.  

Before the game I hinted at the possibility to coach Stratton of winning six in a row “I think it will be great for the kids if we can pull of a victory tonight, he said.

“What we are really doing is my captain is doing a great job which we are trying to stay focused and concentrate on the next game which we have all leagues game coming up. I have a funny feeling Bristol is going to get canceled on Saturday with the blizzard coming supposedly, so this game is extremely important to us because after this game we don’t play again until CCRI on Tuesday… every game is important to get a victory but it is always nice when you are in the winning side then being in the losing side.”  

On Nov. 20 Knights beat this same team at Connecticut 62 to 59 “I think it all plays out how we come to play if we come to play at our best I think we’re good as anybody but sometimes we really have a tough time getting going during our winning streak,” Stratton said. “We haven’t had that issue but in the past we had a tough time getting going so hopefully that’s not a problem tonight,” Stratton said.  

Stratton also said they have recently gotten some key players back that wasn’t playing that game (Nov. 20) due to injury. Philip Cunningham, Cristian Kinsley and Matt D’Amato have all returned after being absent on Nov. 20 game because of injury.

Knights won tipoff against UConn at Avery Point. Both teams had nonfoul during the game until the first period with 11:25 remaining and Matt D’Amato hit a foul.

Coach Stratton told me in the post-game interview “I was very surprised but I felt that’s a tribute to a couple of different things I don’t think we (have) been as aggressive so I think we (have) been a little lazy and tributed to not being overly aggressive to not many foul calls the other thing is I felt that we were playing pretty good defense to the point we were communicating well getting a good position…, Stratton said.  

Knights in action vs UConn at Avery Point Photo by Jose Rodriguez, Sports Editor

In the first four minutes the Knights started aggressive going on 10-5 run.

Ashton Ventola of Danville, N.H., who scored 5 points in 14 minutes against UConn Avery Point, told me “We just wanted to stay aggressive that’s our goal to stay aggressive the whole game we wanted to make sure we want them to put them in the hole early. We wanted to,  we were in kill mode all the time that’s what we need to do all the time we jumped on them early, we had a good lead, we were moving the ball well, we were making shot that’s how we able to keep aggressive the whole time.” 

During the game it was a little concerning UConn Avery Point in the first half they were scoring in rebounds the Knights they are one of the best rebounds in the conference Stratton told me “That’s what I was concern we are one of the best rebound team in our regent and in the first half UConn Avery Point was rebounding us. They brought more afait they out hustle us they were aggressive in the glass we really weren’t discipline in our fundamentals we weren’t finding a men and boxing out and it opened up a lot of lanes for UConn Avery Point to attacken and grab the rebounds…, Stratton said.  

Kevin Monteiro just played four minutes against  UConn Avery Point. He got injured in the first half with a low ankle sprain injury, something related to his tendon Stratton told me “It’s a minor injury that he should be able to fight through it he tried to put pressure on it before we coming off from half-time but told me he just couldn’t go so we just shut him down,” Stratton said.  

He should be ready to go for Tuesday Feb. 1, when the Knights hit the road against CCRI who are undefeated 10-0 on Region 21 conference and 12-2 overall during the season.  

In the first half the Knights committed four fouls while UConn at Avery Point made two. The Knights were up 34-22 when they went into the locker room.  

Daniel Almarante of Lawrence had 10 points during the fist half that led the Knights in the game he finished with 16 points.  

In the second period with nine minutes and 20 second left Knights were up 55 to 35. They had a 20-point lead “we came very efficient we talked about it in half time the second half we started much better as you saw  we buckle down defensively. I know Cristian pick up a quick foul, R2 (Mehmet) picked up a foul his third foul in the 19:38 mark. I was going to make the decision to pull him out and he wave me off saying let me play through it which I am happy that I did… I think in the second half we played much much better much better, Stratton said.  

 Coach Stratton only time out came on the second period with only 5:02 left to go “What I got aggravated at 5:02 mark if you saw that from the 7:00 minute mark to the 5:02 mark we had three offensive possessions and well out of sink Daniel (Almarante) I spoke with earlier he got to get a set his got to get situated. We had guys in wrong position we were taking bad shots we were forcing a lot of things and we become very undisciplined no matter if you have a 15 point lead or 20 point lead you start creating bad habits, that bad habits carried over and in this region this is going to be one or two possession games that you going to need you better be making the right decision and if you start creating bad habits bad habits carried over …, Stratton said.  

 Knights had six fouls in the second half while UConn at Avery Point had two in total during the game the Knights had ten while UConn had four.  

Knights defeated UConn Avery Point 67 to 47 this is the Knights first six game winning streak since 2008-09 season.  

After the game I had a chance to talk to Jasjit Banwait of Malton Ontario who scored 4 points, 5 rebounds and played 17 minutes.

I asked him if he knows this is the first since 2008-09 season that they won 6 in a row “I didn’t know that this is a great team to be a part of we going for a championship we should be winning six in a row,” Banwait said.   

It will be a good battle on Feb.1,  the red-hot Knights Basketball will face Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) in the road. CCRI are 10-0 in conference division game and 12-2 overall. Tipoff is scheduled to be at 7 p.m.