Men's Basketball Defeats Colby-Sawyer for Second Conference Win

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Basketball team hosts Colby Sawyer College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup Wednesday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 85 | Colby-Sawyer College 78
Records: Blazers 2-13, 2-2 (GNAC) | Chargers 2-13, 0-4 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The game would begin with both sides making a free throw, but Colby-Sawyer would make the opening basket with a layup. Senior guard/forward Aaron Sanchez (the Bronx, N.Y.) would make a layup to tie the game, but the Chargers would go to score an additional seven points. But following a Blazers timeout, the Elms offense would awaken, begging with a pair of free throws by junior forward Adam Sarlan (Chicopee, Mass.), followed by  jump shots from sophomore Jaiden Lopez (Lebanon, Conn.) and junior guard Aden Goffe (New Haven, Conn.), along with a three-point shots from senior forward/center Addison Phifer (Hadley, Mass.) and sophomore guard Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.), to rally back and bring the score to 18-17, Colby-Sawyer. The Chargers would quickly respond with a three-point shot of their own, but Ciaglo would make back-to-back three-pointers to take the lead for the first time of the game. Following a timeout by Colby-Sawyer, the Blazers defense would remain strong with junior guard/forward Max Rolnick (Vaughan, Ontario) adding a steal and junior forward RJ Mayfield (Springfield, Mass.) would block a layup attempt. Moments later, Ciaglo would record a fourth three-point shot, followed by a layup from Phifer to maintain their lead. As the opening half was nearing its end, the Chargers offense would make a late reemergence, but Sarlan and Goffe would both record a steal, Sanchez would sink a layup and add a steal, Mayfield made a tip-in, a layup and a pair of free throws, and Lopez would make two free throws of his own, to help Elms hold their 39-38 lead going into the halftime break.

The second half would begin with the Blazers offense scoring first, after graduate student forward Neilon Bridgeman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) connected with Mayfield for a layup. The two conference foes would go back-and-forth with layups, including a layup from Sanchez, but Colby-Sawyer would keep themselves within a point of tying the game, 43-42. Moments later, Bridgeman would collect an offensive rebound and pass the ball to Goffe for a layup to keep Elms an arms length ahead of their opponents. The Chargers would try to rally back, but following a jump shot, Goffe would snag the rebound and race down the court for a breakaway layup. The Blazers offense would expand their lead following a trio of layups by Sanchez, including a three-point play, a three-point shot and a pair of free throws from Goffe, and a tip-in by Mayfield, followed by a three-point shot by Rolnick, after finding a pass from junior center/guard/forward Edgardo Jacob Cancel (Northampton, Mass.). Colby-Sawyer would continue their efforts to trim the deficit, but Cancel would connect with an open Ciaglo for another three-point shot. As the final minutes began to tick off the clock, Elms would try their best efforts to hold off their GNAC foes, with the help of steals from Rolnick and Goffe, successful free throws by Goffe, Mayfield, Ciaglo, and Sanchez, a block by Bridgeman, a three-point shot by Bridgeman, layups by Goffe and Sanchez. The Chargers would make a three-pointer with three seconds left, but the damage had been done, and the Blazers would win their second conference game of the season, defeating Colby-Sawyer 85-78 at home.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Ciaglo - 21 points, three rebounds, and an assist.

• Goffe - 18 points, six rebounds, two steals, and an assist.

• Sanchez - 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

• Mayfield - 11 points, six rebounds, an assist, and a block.

• Phifer - five points and a rebound.

• Lopez - four points, a rebound, and an assist.

• Bridgeman - three points, three assists, two rebounds, and a block.

• Rolnick - three points, a rebound, and two steals.

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

UP NEXT: The Elms College Men's Basketball team will host Mitchell College in a conference matchup on Tuesday, January 21st at 7 pm at Picknelly Arena.

--

For continuing coverage of Elms College Athletics, visit www.ecblazers.com and follow the Blazers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.