Men’s basketball to face Elms for tourney title
FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington men’s basketball team advanced to the championship game of its Hight Chevrolet Tournament tonight as the Beavers held off Newbury. The Beavers (1-0) are scheduled to take on 25th-ranked Elms College (3-0) in the championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The Blazers rolled past University of Maine at Presque Isle 110-44 in the tournament’s other opening round game. The Nighthawks (0-2) and Owls (0-1) are scheduled to meet in the consolation game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Elms 110, UMPI 44
The Blazers bolted out to a 69-16 halftime command and cruised in the tournament’s opening contest. The halftime point total of 69 was a program record.
Dan Gonzalez (East Windsor, CT) and Javon Mathis (West Hartford, CT) each scored 14 points to lead a balanced Elms attack with 17 different players getting into the scoring column. Arsenio Avant (Southwest Ranches, FL) also got into double-figures with 10 points.
Elms’ onslaught was spirited by its defense, which forced 43 turnovers. Aswad Thomas (Hartford, CT) collected six steals with Avant and Bryant Corcoran (Wolcott, CT) each snagging five thefts.
Ray Mitchell (Cleveland, OH) paced the Owls with 13 points.
Farmington 65, Newbury 49
Andrew Dean (Gorham, ME) scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Beavers pulled away for an opening-round win over Newbury.
Dean was one of five Farmington players to hit double-figures in scoring as Josh Tanguay (Gorham, ME) added 12 points, Kevin Leary (Manchester, ME) and Eric Lelansky (Portland, ME) each pitched in 11 points and Eric Taylor (Oakland, ME) struck for 10 points.
Farmington was 10 of 22 from beyond the arc (47.1 percent) in the contest.
John Rowley Jr. (Hartford, CT) scored 12 points off the bench for the Nighthawks (0-2), while Kevin Cleveland (Lynn, MA) posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
