On Sunday Nov. 27, the Knights soccer team got together to play futsal. Futsal is a soccer game that you played indoor rather then outdoor and the court is smaller.
It was the first time that the whole soccer team reunited since their season ended last month in the quarterfinals. I had a chance to interview Sam De Amorim who won NJCAA Men’s Soccer Player of the Week the week from Oct. 17 through the 23.
According to neccknights.com De Amorim had 11 shots, eight of them were shot on goals, five goals and one assist.
I asked him if that did not surprise him winning the award after a phenomenal week that he had.
Sam De Amorim was named Player of the Week from Oct. 17 thru Oct. 23 Photo courtesy by neccknights.com
“It did I am not going to lie,” De Amorim said. “Even though I know that I played really good that week. We have a really good players in the whole conference and everything so me winning player of the week was pretty not surprising but it was remarkable for me. I was really happy for that,” he said.
I asked him what does he have to do for next year to build on that success so he can succeed in this sport?
“I am going to still be practicing a lot, I’m putting in the work in the off season right now and hopefully I can double the amount of goals that I had for this season so hopefully I get another All-Region next year and Player of the Week too,” he said.
I asked him how he feels about winning this achievement so other colleges and universities can check on his resume ?
“I feel honored to be honest,” he said. “I put in a lot of work in the season to get that so that help me a lot and I am really honored because of that,” he said.
He told me that NECC Soccer head coach, Coach Eusebio Marote told him about the news that he won player of the week via text.
All of his friends and family were happy for him and were proud of him for winning this achievement.
On Sunday, Nov. 27, NECC Knights defeated Suffolk County Community College 82 to 64 on the second day of the NECC TD Bank Turkey Classic.
Before the game I asked NECC Basketball head coach, coach Darren Stratton if there is a little bit of pressure that the only loss the Knights have this season is against this Suffolk team?
“ I enjoy pressure,” he said. “I look at pressure as a different way that normal coaches will. I think pressure is when you can’t afford food on your table for your family or something, pressure in a basketball game is an opportunity. I think pressure is a good thing I think if you are focused and keep working in every aspect of the game I don’t think there is any pressure on you unless if you trust on your talent and you ability to perform.”
The Knights begin the game on a 14-4 run against Suffolk.
Suffolk answered back going on a 9-3 run.
The game was 17 to 13 in favor of the Knights.
Kevin Monteiro scored a two pointer to make this 19 to 13.
Joshua Fenner of Huntington, New York scored the next two three pointers for Suffolk to tie the game at 19.
“Yeah, we (are) still working on consistency. Like today it was a little different, we are out with two key players, we’re out with Ryan Pacy this whole weekend. Then we were out with Philip (Cunningham) today that’s another key player. We’re trying to find the right rotation the right guys doing the right things. You know is a challenge for us but you know we talk earlier on (assistant) coach (Nick) Nofi mentioned early that this probably is the deepest team that he been able involved with and the deepest actually shows today in our depth,” Stratton said.
Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence shots a three pointer to put the Knights on top that started a 7-0 run for the Knights.
The Knights was up 26 to 21 when Tre Fite of Massillon, Ohio, knock down a two pointer.
NECC Knights vs Suffolk on Sunday Nov. 27 at Sports and Fitness Center in Haverhill Campus Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
Fast forward later on in the first period the Knights deficit was cut to five as the Knights was up 30 to 25.
Metin Yavuz of Istanbul, Turkey banged in a three pointer to increase the Knights lead to eight.
The Knights led Suffolk 41 to 32 after the first period.
After Suffolk scored a three pointer to get things started in the second period Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France followed with a two pointer.
Joshua Blair of Shirley, New York, knocked down a two pointer to put this game 45 to 37 in favor of the Knights.
Kinsley knocked down a three pointer as the Knights had a 11 point lead over Suffolk.
Mehmet “R2” Asik scored a two pointer and has one chance for a three point play.
Fast Forward during the period the Knights had a 16 point lead, that lead was cut to nine but not before Angel Herrera knocked down a three to make this 58 to 44 ball game.
Fenner knocked down a three to make this a nine run game.
The game was 60 to 49 when SamMbaka made a two pointer and a foul for a chance for a three point play.
SamMbaka missed but the Knights got the rebound. It was foul on Reynoso as Reynoso went in the free throw line.
The Knights were up 67 to 49 when Reynoso stole the ball as he ran to the basket to make it a 20 point game.
Reynoso scored the next three buckets for two pointers by attacking the glass as the Knights were up by 25, the largest lead for the Knight was 26 in this entire game.
At the final six minutes of the game that’s when both teams started to foul each other including three players of Suffolk who got fouled out.
After the game I interviewed Ashton Ventola of Danville, New Hampshire and asked him how important is knowing he is getting minutes in the court something that did not happen because of the guys having the flu. “It’s just about stand ready is just about trusting the process, trusting God, trusting in my coaches. they’ve been preparing me for moments like this, whether I get two minutes in the game or five or 10 minutes in the game. I still work my hardest whether it is getting defensive stuff or knocking down shots or running the lane for finishes that’s the type of player I am and that’s the type of player I continue to be to help my team win,” he said.
The Knights defeated Suffolk to sweep the weekend NECC TD Bank Turkey classic.
After the game the Knights recognized Reynoso and Monteiro with “TD Bank Northern Essex Turkey Classic All Tournament Team”
Monteiro told me that he was surprised for his recognition after how he played the past two games but he is grateful for the award.
On Saturday, Nov. 26, the NECC Knights defeated SUNY Adirondack 86 to 71 in the Sport and Fitness Center in Haverhill Campus. It was the first of two days of NECC TD Bank Turkey Classic.
NECC Knights Basketball Head Coach, Coach Stratton before the game did not know how the boys were going to perform against Adirondack. “This is going to be interesting because the last time I basically saw the whole basketball team was against Mass Bay after that game. The flu has hit us pretty bad so we got eight guys battling against the flu. We have Jeremiah Melendez out for an injury, Ryan Pacy probably won’t be available today. On restricted minutes probably going to be Philip (Cunnigham), R2 (Mehmet), Metin (Yavuz), Cristian Kinsley all probably going to be in restricted minutes coming back from the flu so today is going to be real interesting…” Stratton said.
The Knights won the tip off against SUNY Adirondack the game started at 2:03 p.m. eastern time.
Luis Reynoso of Lawrence banged in a three pointer to begin the game. Reynoso had a huge game against Adirondack as he scored 30 points and 20 rebounds.
The Knights began the first half to start the game on a 11-2 run.
“We played better than I expected as you saw we started in a total different lineup today with the guys being sick and fighting the flu. We started out extremely well it kinda built on, on that,” Stratton said.
The Knights were up 11 to 6 when Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France scored a two pointer.
Adirondack scored a two pointer to make it 13 to 8 in favor of the Knights.
Darlin Santiago of Salem was looking to pass the ball to Philip Cunningham of Haverhill as Santiago threw the ball out of bounds.
The Knights were up by two when Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence extended the Knights’ lead to five when he knocked a three pointer from the three point line.
NECC Knights vs SUNY Adirondack on Nov. 26 at the Sport and Fitness Center in Haverhill Campus Photo by Editor-in-Chief / Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
A’Mari James of Las Vegas, Nevada, knocked in a three pointer which cut the Knights lead to two.
Kinsley scored on a three pointer and a foul for a chance for a four point play the Knights was up 20 to 14.
Andirondack cut the lead to four when the game was 22 to 18 when Tre Fite of Massillon, Ohio committed a turnover when he was looking to pass the ball to his teammate Kevin Monteiro of Somerville.
Reynoso extended the Knights lead to six as he was attacking the glass to get the bucket in.
SamMbaka made it 26 to 18.
Andirondack followed on a 5-0 run against the Knights.
Fast forward later on at the end of the first period the game was 38 to 31 and both teams were scoreless for the final two minutes and 24 seconds second of the period after Kinsley knocked down his third three pointer of the game in the first period.
Adirondack had seven fouls while the Knights had five at the end of the first period with the Knights with a seven point lead when they were heading to their locker room.
The Knights began the second period with a 7-0 run after Adirondack called a full time out.
After the time out Adirondack scored the next four points then Reynoso scored a two pointer and a foul for a chance for a three point play.
The Knights were up 48 to 35.
Fast forward in the period with the game 52 to 43, Angel Herrera of Lawrence knocked in a three.
Mehmet “R2” Asik committed a turnover to Adirondack. Tyerell Monroe had the ball run full speed to the basket as Cunningham fouled him and Monroe went to the free throw line for two shots, where he made both in.
Fast forward later on during the second period the Knights went on a 11-0 run against Adirondack as the Knights increased their lead by 18 and the Knights were up 70 to 52.
“Yes I think it was the guys basically were shooting well. I was really impressed with the guys that were fighting off the flu that were playing …Cristian Kinsley was at the doctor four hour before this basketball got it through you had Philip (Cunningham) we had Metin and R2 coming through after fighting with the flu so they were guys that were fighting through ailments. I was appreciative tomorrow it’s going to be though to see who we got coming back because you have 24 hour window coming right back and playing again.” Stratton said.
Adirondack came back with a 10-2 run against the Knights with just under four minutes remaining the Knights had a 10 point lead.
The Knights hold on to that 10 point lead as the Knights made a run late in the game to defeat Adirondack by 15. 86 to 71 was your final as the Knights improved to 8 and 1 in the season.
On Saturday Nov. 19 NECC Knights defeated Mass Bay 109 to 79 in the Sport and Fitness Center on the Haverhill Campus.
Before the game I asked NECC basketball head coach Darren Stratton what they have to do to have a strong first half to pressure the other team and not have pressure on them pressure by trailing at the half ?
“… It wasn’t just this first half (against Quincy down by 11) it was against Suffolk, Essex it came out okay a little bet better even at the game before that against Qunsig(amond), we were struggling ….we are yet to put a complete game together. We put spurts together which is for four or five minute spurts but we are yet to put a complete half or a complete game together. That we are trying to evolve, trying to do that. We are looking at us as a coaching staff trying to maybe push the right buttons …. We are only one fifth in our season, we still have more than three quarters in our season left to go so we are trying to find what buttons to push the right guys trying to find the right rotations … hopefully we get everything figured out by ten or 11 games in,” he said.
The game started at 12:02. The Knights won the tip off.
The Knights opened the game with a 5-0 run and a 31-13 run to start the game.
After the game I asked Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence how he is a good three point shooter as every time he shoots for three it is rare that he will miss.
“It’s confidence it’s that the way it is the key to it is confidence that all it is,” he said.
Knights basketball vs Mass Bay on Nov. 19 at the Sport and Fitness Center in Haverhill, MA Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
The Knights started aggressive, they were hungry and the Knights were looking to have a strong first half to carry on to the second half.
It was looking that way for the first nine minutes of the ball game.
Then everything was shifting to Mass Bay’s side as Mass Bay was stealing the ball from the Knights and the Knights were fouling as well that Mass Bay went to the free throw line.
Mass Bay went on a 19 to 6 run against the Knights. That cut the Knights deficit from an 18 point lead to a five point lead, the Knights had a 37 to 32 point lead.
Knights called a 30 second time out so they could regroup and played basketball like they did in the first nine minutes of the game unlike the middle minutes of the first half.
After the time out the Knights went on a 15 to 2 run and everything was clicking for them as they had a 18 point lead and the score was 52 to 34. Then Mass Bay called a full time out.
Mass Bay finished the first half with a 15 to 8 run against the Knights.
The Knights went in their locker room at the half with an11 points lead, the score was 60 to 49. Knights 13 fouls in the first half Mass Bay 10.
“I felt Luis (Reynoso) didn’t have his best game, and it is good to see other guys step up around him. I thought R2 (Mehmet Asik) played extremely well, I thought Cristian Kinsley was a difference maker today, I don’t know if you saw but I moved him to point guard. I thought traditional to offense was much
better running point and I think I am going to move forward throughout the year doing that…” Stratton said after the game.
Stratton also told me that he was upset that his players gave up 49 points at the half.
In the second half the Knights went on a 20 to 11 run as the Knights was up 83 to 60.
The game eventually was 85 to 68 in favor of the Knights in the final seven minutes of the game. The Knights went on an absolutely tear as they finished with a 34 to 9 run against Mass Bay to end the game.
After the game I talked to Metin Yavuz of Istanbul, Turkey. I ask him what was his approach heading into this afternoon’s contest against Mass Bay?
“Just follow the approach that coach told us in the locker room we should’ve played better defense. We did a very decent job offensively, we knock down shots, finding the right shots, people were in the right spot in the right time so it came out 109 points total so it was one of our best offensive games but defensively we should’ve done better,” he said.
The Knights will return to the court a week from today on Nov. 26 for “NECC TD Bank Turkey Classic” as they will host SUNY Adirondack.
On Thursday Nov. 17, NECC Knights defeated Quincy College 83 to 81 at the Sports and Fitness Center in Haverhill Campus. The Knights entered the game with a 5 and 1 record after beginning the first six games to open up the season on the road. This was the Knights home opener.
I asked NECC basketball head coach Darren Stratton before the game if he expected a large crowd on opening night after going 5 and 1 in the first six games of the season?
“I think we will have a pretty good crowd tonight,” he said. “I think since it is our opening game and the kids’ family finally got a chance to watch them play. I mean we (have) been in the road for the last six games, it’s going to feel different actually playing here at home for the first time and we are already mid way through November so I mean we are excited and hopefully the kids can respond well in their home court.”
The Knights won the tip off against Quincy. Quincy scored first on a two pointer. Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence shot a three to put the Knights on top 3-2. After Quincy scored a three to put the game 5 to 3, Luis Reynoso of Lawrence tied up at five a piece.
Reynoso put the Knights on top 7 to 5. It was a back and forth game early in the contest. It was a clean basketball in the first five minutes of action with no fouls.
After Quincy commited their first fouls of the game Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France was in the free throw line where he shot both free throws successfully. The game eventually was 13 to 11. The Knights were leading after a steal from Mehki Dedrick of Boston that tied the scoring up at 13.
A steal by SamMbaka and he passed it to Tre Fite of Massillon, Ohio, where a foul was called as Fite went to the free throw line as he made one of two shots in. The Knights were up by a point. It was 16 to 15 when Dedrick made the two pointer and a foul Dedrick made the free throw shot to put Quincy ahead.
Quincy was on a 7-0 run against the Knights. It ended with Fite running at the glass, shooting for two and one. Reynoso took that free throw and made it in. The Knights were down by three as the score was 22 to 19. The Knights eventually were down by a point when Reynoso fouled Quincy was in the free throw line and shot two free throws in.
The game was 24 to 21 in favor of the Knights. Reynoso banged in a game tying three pointer to put the game at 24.
In the final six minutes of the first half, he wasn’t Ryan Pacy of Salem N.H. that we know, Quincy was stealing the ball from him, Pacy did not catch the ball it slipping out of his hand that it went out of bonds. It was nightmare for Pacy the last six minutes of the game.
A steal by Fite and a slam dunk put the Knights up 30 to 29.
Quincy went on a 12-0 run after Reynoso shot two free throws in. That made it 41 to 32 in favor of Quincy.
The Knights were down by 11 at the half, the score was 46 to 35 in favor of Quincy.
Knights preparing for the second half on Nov. 17 against Quincy on their home opener Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
“… We beat them where we shouldn’t beat them last year in the Regionals semifinals and you know with us now being national recognized, I think they got really hyped up Luis (Reynoso) coming off National Player of the Week. They definitely came with high emotions, outwork us, out tough us, they did everything better than us in that first half, everything. It wasn’t that one thing that we did better than Quincy in that first half,” Stratton said.
He also told me that he and the coaching staff did some adjustments at half time to be prepared for the second half to keep them in the game.
Derek Williams of Rockland shot a three for Quincy. Pacy answered right back with a three of his own.
The Knights were down by 16 when Pacy went to the free throw line to shoot for two where he made one in.
The Knights started to play aggressive as they went on a 11-0 run against Quincy to make this a two point game.
The Knights were trailing 54 to 52.
Quincy went on a 9-0 run that ended when Kinsley shot a three to put the score 64 to 55 in favor of Quincy.
Reynoso shot a two, followed by Pacy’s three pointer to make this game 64 to 60. Quincy shot a three to make this a seven point game.
The Knights were looking to come back late in the game when the game was 72 to 66. Pacy shot for two at the rim and one for a chance for a three point play that made it 72 to 69.
Pacy made it a one point game in the next possession as it was 72 to 71.
The Knights were down by five with four minutes and 45 seconds remaining when SamMbaka made both shots in to make this a three point game.
The game was 79 to 73 when Reynoso scored for two.
SamMbaka tied the game with less than three minutes of regulation as the score was 79 to 79.
Pacy shot a three pointer with a minutes and 45 seconds left of regulation as the Knights were up 82 to 81.
“We definitely fought hard after being down 11 at half time I told the guys at the half time this team is not 11 points better than this and we came up and prove it in the second half,” Fite said.
On Friday evening Oct.11, I drove from Lawrence, MA to Corona Queens, NY, to stay at my relative’s house to cover the Knights basketball game on Saturday at noon in Long Island against Suffolk and on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Essex County.
There is a twist on this story, let me explain all of you what happened. I was driving perfectly fine, my car was working good, we passed Massachusetts. I left from my house at around five pm since I had to wait until my dad came home. It was not just me, it was my parents, my grandma and my brother came with me to NY.
Alright so we left around five and they were traffic like crazy on Friday evening, accident left and right it was brutal. Anyways fast forward they was a weird smell that it didn’t smell to good the smell was like Gasol. My mom open the window of my car because she thought it was my car but my dad said no because two trucks on the left lane was passing by so we thought it was the truck.
Everything was fine all of a sudden out of nowhere the car stop in the middle of the highway. I put the both blinkers on I turned off my car, then I turned back on after two minutes. My mom was panicking in the back seat my brother didn’t know what was going on since he was sleeping and my dad and my grandma was trying to calm down my mom.
I was starting to getting frustrated a little so we took the nearest exit and it was Rocky Hill, Connecticut, it was an hour and thirty minutes from where I was staying at in New York.
I took the nearest exit which I had what I need to do then the car started shooting off by it self every two minutes then the car stopped completely.
Rocky Hill cops ask what was happening when were stopped on the side of the street next to a Mobil gas station that it was no longer in service. I told the cop, I explained to him the situation that was happen to me. I told him I need someone to boast up my car that my car doesn’t want to run. He said he was coming right back. Meanwhile I ask someone to boast up my car that I have the cable so a person was trying to help me out keep on mind this was around 9:35 p.m. Friday night where I got stuck. I tried to ask someone for booster to boast up my car that it didn’t work the same cop came right back. We then figure it out the air compressor it doesn’t work.
Mechanic try’s to fixed my car on Saturday morning at Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Photo by Editor-in-Chief / Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
No mechanic was working since it was already late at night it was getting closer to 10 p.m. So the cop and the other person was pushing my car until I parked in the mobile gas station that doesn’t work anymore. We had three different options: number one stayed overnight in a near by hotel or number two to try to sleep in the car until next morning the mechanic was open or number three so my car will be towed an hour and thirty minutes away were my relative house in NY. I called different companies and see the price range they gave me was in between $600 to $850 range — no way. So my parents, my grandma, my brother and my self we slept over night in my car until the next morning. Forget about sleeping, I barley got enough sleep on top of that it was raining as well.
The next morning came we saw online a mechanic open at 6 in the morning so we order an uber 2.4 miles where my car is. I went with my dad, my mom stayed in my car with my grandma and my brother.
So me and my dad went to the mechanic and when I got there it says open 8 to 4. So now I’m frustrated and upset because know is Saturday morning game starts at noon I’m usually in the arena an hour before tip off start to do interviews. I’m thinking to myself for me to go to the game today there needs to be a miracle.
We called different mechanic and stuff and one of the mechanic recognized our voice and told us if we were the people that was heading to last night in New York who got stuck and we said yeah we still here we slept overnight in the car, etc.
So he came to us and when he came to us he realized the belt of the car is no good it doesn’t work, it broke.
So I went to O’Reilly to get a new belt meanwhile the uber driver stayed with us the whole time and he was nice God bless him. He said he was going to stay until the car is fixed just in case if we need anything else.
We put the belt in my car and it was around 10 in the morning so I started to calculate on my head and I was like okay I might be there for the beginning off tip off if not early in the first period.
We put the belt and I saw the wheel is know turning and stuff like that so I said okay were making progress. Which it was a good sign.
Then I press the gas for a minute or two and we realized the compressor of the air was no longer functioning smoke was coming out.
So we left it there we put a sign coming back tomorrow with the mechanic meanwhile this is Saturday morning know.
I left my car in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. I got in New York because of traffic and everything almost 2:30 pm it was a disaster.
The next day while I was at the basketball game in New Jersey my dad and two mechanics from across the street they buy the piece that were missing to go to Rocky Hill Connecticut and to fix up my car they got home almost at 7:15 p.m. and close to 8 p.m. we left back to Lawrence on Sunday night.
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.
Knights vs Essex County on Sunday Nov. 13 at Newark, New Jersey. Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
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.
On Thursday, Nov. 10, NECC Knights defeated Quinsigamond Community College 76 to 73 in Worcester.
I asked NECC Knights assistant coach Cameron Stratton, the son of the head coach Darren Stratton, how are they blocking all the noise and not being distracted as this is the home opener for Quinsigamond?
“Yeah, it seems we played a couple home openers now from NHTI and Bunker Hill. I think the guys are starting to finally get used to it especially the guys that are playing for a while and I think we will be ready for the atmosphere,” Cameron Stratton said.
The Knights won the tip-off. Mehmet “R2”Asik scored to make it 2-0. Quinsigamond tied the game up.
Luis Reynoso of Lawrence put the Knights 5 to 4 and Asik extend the Knights lead.
The game was 7 to 6 when Jasjit Banwait of Malton, Ontario, Canada, shot a two pointer.
The Knights eventually were trailing in the ball game 13 to 9.
The Knights were committing fouls. Darlin Santiago of Salem, shot a three pointer followed by Jeremiah Melendez of Lawrence with a two pointer, as the Knights retook the lead, 16 to 13. Knights retake the lead 16 to 13.
The Knights were up 18 to 17 when it was called a jump ball.
Melendez of the Knights made a three pointer to make it 21 to 17. Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France, made it 23 to 17.
SamMbaka stole the ball and he ran into the basket to make it 25 to 17 in favor of the Knights. Ryan Pacy did the same exact thing, that made it 27 to 20 after Quinsigamond scored on a three pointer.
Reynoso scored a two pointer and extended the Knights lead by nine.
Reynoso had two fouls in a span of one minute that made Wyverns get possession of the ball.
Metin Yavuz of Istanbul, Turkey, scored to make it 33 to 25.
There was a problem going on with the scoreboard as they were a little delayed.
NECC Knights visits Quinsigamond Community College on Thursday Nov. 10 at Worcester. Photo by Editor-in-Chief / Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence made it 39 to 29 as the Knights were up by 10 at the half.
“I think it was our depth, they played their starter a lot of minutes, in fact I don’t know their big guy 22 their big gun ever got a break. One of the things that so impressive about this team is our depth. We have a couple conference caliber guys coming off our bench and that wears (the) team down so I think as the half went on we able to stretch the lead a little bit and make it a 10 point game,” Assistant head coach Nick Nofi said.
In the second half a foul was called on Philip Cunningham of Haverhill to begin the quarter.
The game was 41-32 when Cunningham made it inside the bucket and a foul for a chance for a three point play. Cunningham made it in as the Knights were up by 10.
Reynoso missed a two pointer but his friend Mehmet “R2” Asik of Ankara, Turkey, was right there to back him up and scored a two pointer.
A three pointer by Ryan Pacy of Salem N.H., in the next possession they gave a foul on Pacy where he shot two balls in.
Pacy and Kevin Monteiro of Sommerville committed a foul for the Knights.
Quinsigamond made a run against the Knights to make this game interesting.
Asik ended Quinsigamond run by scoring a two pointer.
Reynoso shot for two and a foul went to the free throw line where he made it in. Asik made for two.
There were a lot of fouls during the ball game.
“We just get a little bit slappy and we got into foul trouble, also we started to make wrong decisions and get into foul trouble, also we started to make wrong decisions and started to take all the shots and we couldn’t make them but we are going to work at it during practice,” Asik said.
Quinsigamond took a two point lead as they were leading the Knights 71 to 69.
The Knights blow a 19 point lead.
“They zone hurt us, they played a 1-3-1 and sometimes 3-2 zone and we were always never patient to attacking it, getting turnover to try to force it inside by moving around the too much inside, out and we didn’t shoot well against it. We can’t move the ball and get lay ups of the zone… and they did a good job of slowing the game down executing their half court set…” Nofi said.
Pacy shot a three to put the Knights ahead in the ball game, the next possession Pacy made both free throws in.
“Our game plan is always to play hard and share the ball running for it and pull each other on and pretty much it,” Asik said.
Pacy’s late minute heroics were enough to defeat Quinsigamond 76 to 73.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, the NECC Knights defeated Bunker Hill Community College Bulldogs 87 to 77 for their first conference division game of the season and improved to 3-0 overall during the season.
Before the game I asked NECC Basketball head coach, Coach Darren Stratton how he managed a conference division game vs non conference.
“Every game matters,” Coach Stratton said. “This game is more significant coming towards our overall record and as far as our regional record goes, I might be tonight tied in the bench to see how it goes and not goes as deep but which looks toward any other game and hopefully we tried to improve what we did over the weekend and hopefully to improve it to conference game,” said Stratton.
The Bulldogs were ranked number five in the nation preseason coming into tonight’s game. I asked Coach Stratton how scary the Bulldogs can be and what the Knights can do to stay focused and still get a victory in the road?
“I think we just got to play our type of game we can’t let them slow us down … they have a huge size advantage against us, their point guard is an All Region player first team so we need a lot in our group to try to control him. They beat a very good Bronx team in New York over the weekend so we are looking forward towards the challenge and I think my guys will be up for the challenge for tonight,” he said.
The game officially started at 6:05 p.m.
Bulldogs won the tipoff against the Knights.
Bulldogs struck first scoring the first four points during the game.
Phillip Cunningham of Haverhill scored a two pointer followed by two three pointer by Cristian Kinsley of Lawrence to put this game 8 to 4 in favor of the Knights.
The Bulldogs had four fouls in the first six minutes of the game.
Jeremiah Melendez of Lawrence scored a two pointer for the Knights to make this game 13 to 12 in favor of the Bulldogs, the next possession that the Knights had Melendez put the Knights on top as they were up by one.
Luis Reynoso of Lawrence made one of two in as the Knights increased their lead by two.
Knights vs Bulldogs on Nov. 08, 2022 at Charlestown, MA Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
Bulldogs Osa Irlowen of Milton put the Bulldogs ahead 18 to 17.
Melendez was in the free throw line where he tied the score up at 18 a piece.
The Bulldogs made it 20 to 18 after the Knights tied the game at 20.
Melendez passed the ball to Kevin Monteiro of Sommerville to put the Knights up 22 to 20. In the next possession Melendez increased the Knights lead by four.
The game was tied at 26 when Reynoso with a lay up put the Knights up 28 to 26. Cunningham made it 30 to 28. Edwin SamMbaka of Paris, France made it 32 to 28.
The Knights kept them self in distance against the Bulldogs by going on a 21 to 2 run to end the first half.
The Knights were up 49 to 28 when they went into their locker room at the half. Bulldogs had 10 fouls and the Knights six.
“I thought that was the key, we finished the half on a 21-2 run but then in the second half I believe they open up on a 13 to 1 run. I mean we can’t have that inconsistency, if you want to be a championship team you have to have consistency,” said Coach Stratton.
Forty nine points, that is the most the Knights have scored in one period during the course of the season.
In the second half Bulldogs ended that run by playing more aggressive and Bulldogs battle through.
Bulldogs had two different runs in the second period.
13 to 1 run and a 24 to 2 run.
“Our energy just dropped we didn’t rebound we didn’t push the ball in the floor but then they got back to say,” said NECC Knight basketball player Ryan Pacy.
The Knights weren’t playing aggressive basketball, they were playing sloppy defense and were not executing during that run that the Bulldogs had.
The Knights were missing a lot of free throws and they weren’t executing the way they wanted.
“We missed a lot of free throws and our executing wasn’t good, our executing got to be much better and I think we can learn from this, I am just glad that we came in the winning side,” Coach Stratton said.
The Knights scored the next four points to make it 66 to 59.
Mehmet Asik “R2” of Ankara, Turkey was in the free throw line when the Knights were up 69 to 65 Asik made two free throws in to make it 71 to 65.
The Knights increased their lead to 76 to 65.
SamMbaka nailed down a three for the Knights to put this game 79 to 70.
The Knights defeated Bulldogs 87 to 77. In the second half the Knights had eight fouls and Bulldogs 14.
