Men's Basketball Lose to Gordon in Final Homestand of 2024

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Basketball hosted Gordon College in a non-conference matchup Friday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 63 | Gordon College 79
Records: Blazers 0-11, 0-0 (GNAC) | Fighting Scots 5-4, 1-2 (CNE)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Gordon would begin the game with an early 8-0 lead, but a tip-in and a layup by senior guard/forward Aaron Sanchez (the Bronx, N.Y.) would be the first baskets for Elms. The Fighting Scots would score an additional ten points, but a layup by junior center/guard/forward Edgardo Jacob Cancel (Northampton, N.Y.) would add a layup to pause Gordon's offensive momentum momentarily until the Fighting Scots added a layup on their next possession. The Blazers defense would then hold strong after steals by senior guard Kishaun Cole (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.), junior forward RJ Mayfield (Springfield, Mass.), sophomore guard Jaiden Lopez (Lebanon, Conn.), which would give opportunities to the offense, with Sanchez, Lopez, and graduate forward Neilon Bridgeman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) would each add layups and junior Aden Goffe (New Haven, Coon.) would connect with junior guard/forward Max Rolnick (Vaughan, Ontario) for a three-point shot to bring the score to 26-15. Moments later, junior forward Adam Sarlan (Chicopee, Mass.) would make a layup and Rolnick would sink a second three-point shot on their next possession, followed by a tip-in from Bridgeman to bring the score to 26-22. Gordon would add a jump shot, but the Elms would continue to trim their opponent's lead after a three-point shot by sophomore guard Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.). As the final minutes of the first half ticked off the clock, the Fighting Scots would continue to add to their lead, but the Blazers would continue to keep the game close, after a three-pointer by Mayfield and a steal by Sarlan would keep Elms within eight points of tying, 36-28, going into the halftime break.

Gordon would be the first to score after the break, but the Blazers offense would force a rally, seeing Goffe connecting with Rolnick for a second three-point shot and three layups by Goffe, Bridgeman, and Mayfield, to bring the score differential to seven points, 44-37. The two sides would continue to battle, but Elms would continue their fight to keep themselves within the lead on both ends of the floor, with the assistance of tip-ins by Goffe, Mayfield, and Sanchez, a jump shot and three-point shot by Sanchez, a three-pointer from Ciaglo, a layup by Lopez, steals by Cancel and sophomore forward/center Lawton Ackah-Yensu (Cape Coast, Ghana), and blocks by Ackah-Yensu, senior forward/center Addison Phifer (Hadley, Mass.), and Bridgeman, would help bring the game to two-points, 55-53. But as the final moments began, the Fighting Scots would capitalize, by drawing fouls and making baskets, but a block by Mayfield, a three-point shot by Goffe, and a layup would bring the score differential back to three-points. Gorodn would continue to add to their lead, the Blazers would not back away, including a block by Bridgeman, a three-pointer by Ciaglo, and a pair of free throws by Goffe would keep Elms within the game, but the Fighting Scots would defeat the Blazers 79-63 in their final homestand of the 2024 calendar year.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Sanchez - 13 points, four rebounds, and one assist.

• Goffe - nine points, five assists, and four rebounds.

• Ciaglo - nine points and two rebounds.

• Rolnick - nine points, a rebound, and an assist.

• Mayfield - seven points, five rebounds, a block, steal, and an assist.

• Bridgeman - six points, three rebounds, three blocks, and an assist.

• Lopez - four points, two rebounds, and a steal.

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

• Cole - two points and a steal.

• Sarlan - two points, two rebounds, and a steal.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Men's Basketball team will take a break for the holidays and return to action when they travel to Burlington, Vt. on Monday, December 30th at the University of Vermont at 7 pm.

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