On Saturday, Dec. 3, the NECC Knights defeated Springfield Technical Community College  Rams 59 to 57 in Springfield.

The Knights extended their winning streak to eight straight and remain undefeated in conference division play.

Before the game I asked NECC Basketball head coach, Darren Stratton about their strategy against two of the Rams big guns, Chris Ortiz and Jeremiah Barbosa.

“We’re going to key on Chris Ortiz trying to take him away, we’re going to start Edwin (SamMbaka) out on him and (Jeremiah) Barbosa we’re going to play accordingly Kevin (Monteiro) or Luis (Reynoso) will match up with them and hopefully you know team defensively we won’t let them get hunted we wille be able to get there out going on the floor,” he said.

The game officially started at 1:03 p.m. The Knights won the tip off against Rams.

Nine seconds into the game Mehemet “R2” Asik was in the free throw line where he made both shots in as the Knights had an early 2-0 early advantage.

The Knights started the game on a 6-2 run.

Luis Reynoso of Lawrence was a huge key in Saturday’s win against the Rams as Reynoso scored 23 points during the game.

Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence did not had a good game as he was 0 for 6 in the three point line in the first half and he was 0 for 10 in the entire game.

“Well, you know everyone has their off days but today he might be zero for 10 but the other day he was six for eight or something like that. Everybody has their ups and downs but like the thing is this is a team game,we win as a team we lose as a team…” said Metin Yavuz of Istanbul, Turkey.

The Knights in the first half had an early lead but that lead was swept away and the Knights couldn’t hold a lead during the game until the second half of the game.

Ryan Pacy of Salem, New Hampshire hit a three to cut the Rams’ lead to three as the Knights were trailing 29 to 26.

The Knights were down by four at the half, they were trailing 31 to 27. This is the lowest points that the Knights have scored all season at the half.

“I think that is the fewest scored since I’ve been back,” Stratton said. “27 points I can’t remember the last time we scored 27 points even during the COVID year so it’s something we have to adjust to,” he said.

The second half started with the Knights committing a turn over. The Rams took advantage and scored.

Reynoso scored for two and a foul a chance for a three point play and made it 33-30 in favor of the Rams.

Pacy had a few three pointes in the second half that were key in the game as Pacy put the Knights ahead 39 to 38.

This was the first lead that the Knights had since early in the first half.

That created a mini run for the Knights as Yavuz hit a three pointer followed by Monteiro two pointer the scored was 44 to 38 in favor of the Knights.

The Rams eventually tied it at 44 when Reynoso scored for two and a foul to put the Knights ahead by three in the game.

“My teammates find me in the wide open spot and I felt it was the right shot to take and I took it and made it, it’s a team game like I said, they find me the right spot the right time and I made the shot,” Yavuz said.

The final four to five minutes of the game it was constantly back and forth. It was a war between these two teams. Every shot was important, the game was either tied or one point lead.

Reynoso went to the free throw line and after making both shots in the Knights had a three point lead. The Rams came back as they were leading by a point and the game was 55 to 54.

Reynoso put the Knights on top during the game as the score was 56 to 55.

The Rams made two free throws to put the game 57 to 56.

Reynoso scored for two and a foul as Reynoso completed a three point play to make it 59 to 57, which was the final score of the game.