On Sunday Nov. 13, the NECC Knights defeated Essex County College 66 to 62 in Newark, N.J.
The Knights were looking to regroup on Sunday, Nov. 13, after losing to Suffolk Community College a day prior at Selden, Long Island, N.Y.
“Hopefully we regroup, we had a good talk and I mean playing against this school (Essex) that they got 12 of their guys on scholarship so it’s going to be a difficult task but I think eventually we will play much better today, than we played yesterday,” said NECC Knights Basketball head Coach Darren Stratton before the game.
The game started at 12:02 p.m.
Mehmet “R2” Asik of Ankara, Turkey, won the tip off against Essex.
Phillip Cunningham of Haverhill shot for two and he made it in.
Ryan Pacy of Salem N.H., missed the three pointer, it was rebounded by Cunningham who passed it to Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence who scored a three pointer for the Knights.
Essex took advantage of the Knights turnover that they scored.
Jeremiah Melendez of Lawrence scored a three pointer.
The Knights were down by a point, the score was 15 to 14 when Stratton called a time out.
Pacy scored for the Knights of Salem, N.H.
The Knights turned the ball over, it was a turnover for the Knights.
The Knights were on top. Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France, made it 18 to 17.
An offensive foul on Essex gave possession on the Knights ball.
Melendez scored a three pointer to put the Knights up by two, the score was 21-19. The game eventually was tied at 21 when Melendez found Kinsley who banged in a three.
The Knights and Essex were fouling and eventually both teams went to the free throw line.
The Knights were up by eight, the Knights were winning 31 to 23.
The Knights had back-to-back travel with SamMbaka and Asik.
The Knights were up by four at the half, 35 to 31 when they went into their locker room.
I ask coach Stratton I felt you guys could’ve scored more points in the first half that you guys were missing shots?
“Oh we could’ve and that’s something we got to correct in practice we (are) missing way too many easy lay ups, too many open shots but that only comes work that is something that we can’t correct overnight, it’s something that we got to correct throughout practice and keep repeating in practice,” Stratton said.
The Knights’ largest lead in the first half was eight and Essex cut it to four.
The Knights in the beginning of the second period weren’t as aggressive as they were in the first half.
Essex was in a run against the Knights, then Pacy scored a three to put the Knights on top and Essex tied on a free throw at 42 a piece.
Essex was on top 44 to 42. Angel Herrera of Lawrence scored a three to give the Knights a 45 to 44 lead.
Tre Fite of Massillon, Ohio scored a three pointer Asik stole the ball, passed it to Melendez to put the Knights up 50 to 45 as the Knights were up by five.
Asik made it 52-45 eventually. The score was 55 to 47 when the Knights lead was slipping away.
The Knights were leading by three as Kinsley made a free throw with the next possession. Kinsley shot a three as the Knights increased their lead.
Pacy extended the Knights lead with a three pointer to make it 62 to 54.
A good pass for the Knights as the plan was executed perfectly to make this game 64 to 54.
The Knights lead almost slipped away in a hurry, they were up 65-62 but it was enough to defeat Essex, a huge win for the Knights.
Cunningham told me the difference between Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 match up was “today it was a wake up call,” Cunningham said. “We under estimated them so we came back today and get the win,” he said.
Luis Reynoso of Lawrence did not played on Sunday contest with a hip injury.
The Knights home opener home opener will be on Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Sports and Fitness Center in the Haverhill Campus.
