Men's Basketball Loses a Tough Battle to Westfield State

WESTFIELD, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Basketball traveled to Westfield State University in a non-conference matchup Tuesday evening.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 70 | Westfield State University 78
Records: Blazers 0-7, 0-0 (GNAC) | Owls 6-2, 0-0 (MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Elms would be the first to score after a three-point shot by senior guard Kishaun Cole (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) after finding a pass from junior forward Adam Sarlan (Chicopee, Mass.). The two sides would compete for possession, until the Blazers would extend their lead after Cole found an open senior guard/forward Aaron Sanchez (the Bronx, N.Y.) for a layup, followed by a quick steal by Sanchez to find an open junior forward RJ Mayfield (Springfield, Mass.) for a three-pointer. Sarlan would record a steal of his own that would lead into a layup to bring the score to 10-0, in favor of Elms. Westfield State would then get on the board, but the Blazers offense would keep their 10-point lead after Cole found sophomore guard Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.) open for a jump shot. The Owls would be able to cut the Blazers lead down further after a pair of layups and a free throw, but Elms would not fold after a pair of layups of their own by Mayfield and Cole. The Westfield State offense would continue to try to trim their Pioneer Valley foes' lead, but the Blazers defense would hold strong, with a block by junior guard Aden Goffe (New Haven, Conn.). The Owls would tie the game 16-16, but a layup by graduate forward Neilon Bridgeman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) would help regain the lead for Elms momentarily, until Westfield State would make a three-point shot of their own to take their first lead of the game. The two sides would then compete for possession, the Blazers defense would see a block by Mayfield, to keep the game 18-19, but the Owls would be the first to score after making a pair of layups. As Westfield State returned to their own end of the floor, Elms would record a pair of jump shots of their own from Mayfield and Ciaglo, along with a three-point shot by Mayfield, to bring the score back to a one-point game. Mayfield would make a steal and a block that would lead into a pair of free throws by Cole along with a three-point play by Sanchez to take back the lead 30-28. The two teams would then go back and forth with the lead, seeing a three-point play and another steal by Mayfield, a layup and block by Bridgeman, and a pair of layups by Cole and sophomore forward/center Lawton Ackah-Yensu (Cape Coast, Ghana), but the Owls would go into the halftime break with the lead, 44-40.

The Blazers would once again be the first to score, after a pair of layups by Sanchez and Mayfield, but Westfield State would quickly respond with a set of layups of their own. Elms would take back the lead after a three-pointer by Ciaglo and a breakaway steal into a layup by Goffe, but the Owls would tie the game shortly thereafter, 50-50. Bridegman would make a three-pointer and a steal, followed by a steal by junior Edgardo Jacob Cancel (Northampton, Mass.) and a block by Mayfield, but the two sides would continue to fight over possession of the ball and try to take the momentum of the game into their favor. As the game clock wound down to its final minutes, the Blazers would see a steal by Sarlan would lead into a layup by Goffe, followed by a jump shot and layup by Goffe, a jump shot and layup by Sanchez, along with a layup by Cancel, but Westfield State would defeat Elms 78-70.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Mayfield - 15 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and two steals.

• Sanchez - 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

• Goffe - 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, a block, and a steal.

• Cole - nine points, four assists, and three rebounds.

• Ciaglo - nine points, two rebounds, and two assists.

• Bridgeman - seven points, five rebounds, a block, and a steal.

• Sarlan - five rebounds, two points, two steals, and an assist.

• Cancel - two points, two rebounds, a steal, and an assist.

• Ackah-Yensu - two points and two rebounds.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Men's Basketball team will travel to Lyndon, Vt. to take on Vermont State University-Lyndon in a non-conference matchup on Thursday, December 5th at 7 pm.

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