On Thursday Dec. 1, the NECC Knights defeated CCRI Knights 90 to 76 in Vincent A. Cullen Field in Warwick, Rhode Island.  

The Knights increased their winning streak to seven straight and remain undefeated in conference, division games.  

Before the game I asked NECC Basketball head coach, Darren Stratton if they were going to play the rest of the season against division teams.  

“We wanted to play a tough schedule early on just to get us prepared for our conference play because this is where the game really matters is during this time,” he said.  

The game started at 7:08 p.m. with the Knights of NECC winning the tip off.  

Mehmet “R2” Asik of Ankara, Turkey, put the Knights of NECC up from 2-0. After CCRI took a 3-2 lead in the early stage of the game Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence connected a three pointer to put the Knights up 5 to 3.  

It was back and forth in the early minutes of the game. CCRI was completely dominate on the Knights on scoring for three.  

“They had nine three pointers I think, eight or nine in the first half, we just weren’t closing out well. I think tribute to CCRI they move the ball and shot the ball very well and we adjusted in the second half,” Stratton said.  

Ryan Pacy of Salem, New Hampshire, was playing in his first game back after missing a couple games with the flu.  

“It was tough I didn’t get out of bed in about five days, didn’t eat, lost about 10 pounds, I didn’t do anything,” Pacy said.  

The Knights of NECC started a run midway through the first period when they were up 18 to 16.  

Eventually they were down by seven but the Knights quickly went to work when Kinsley shot a three to put the Knights on top 30 to 29.  

At the end of the first half Knights of CCRI made things really interesting against the Knights of NECC. NECC Knights almost blow the lead late in the first half that tied the game at 42.  

Thanks to Metin Yavuz of Istanbul, Turkey, and Kinsley the Knights of NECC had a four point lead when they were in their locker room. The Knights of NECC were up 46 to 42 at half time.  

The second half of the game started with a steal by Luis Reynoso of Lawrence who scored 24 points in the Knights win over CCRI on Thursday night.  

Reynoso with a steal passed it to Tre Fite of Massillon, Ohio who found Kevin Monteiro of Somerville that increased the Knights lead to six.   

Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France, followed with a two pointer.  

The Knights were in a mini run against CCRI.  

Then CCRI came back and the Knights of NECC almost blew a 11 point lead as the game was 62 to 59 in favor of the Knights.  

Angel Herrera of Lawrence knocked down a three after CCRI attacked with four more points and Kinsley connected with a three pointer of his own.  

The Knights of NECC largest lead of the game was 17 in two different occasions when they were up 88 to 71 in the game and 90 to 73.