Men's Basketball Falls to St. Joe's Monks

CHICOPEE, MA - The Elms College Men's Basketball team hosted the Monks of St. Joseph's College, Maine in conference action and for their Leukemia Night on Saturday evening.

BASICS

Score: Elms College 51 | Regis College 83

Records: Blazers 3-15, 1-5 (GNAC) | Monks 8-9, 4-2 (GNAC)

LEUKEMIA NIGHT

The Elms College Women's and Men's Basketball teams came together with Team Ava to host their 2024 Leukemia Awareness Game: PLAY4LLS in honor of 5 year-old Ava from Sutton, MA who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on March 14th. Her aunt Johanna Annunziata has been nominated as a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Visionary of the Year. Today, the two programs honored Ava and raised awareness for LLS, a non-profit that is a global leader in the fight against blood cancer. All of the proceeds made from the concession stand today were donated towards Team Ava's fundraising goal of $105,000 for an LLS initiative called "Dare to Dream" which will help transform treatment and care for childhood cancer. During the playing of the National Anthem, players and coaches from Elms College held signs with the names of those they played for today.

If you would like to donate, please click the link below.

Team Ava's GoFundMe

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening half would start in the favor of the Monks, but sophomore RJ Mayfield (Springfield, MA) would receive a pass from junior Aaron Sanchez and drill the Blazers first three-pointer of the contest. St. Joe's would continue to add to their lead over Elms, until junior Kishaun Cole (Sleepy Hollow, NY) would find an open sophomore Edgardo Jacob Cancel (Northampton, MA) to make a three-point shot for the Blazers. Minutes later, Cole would find the basket with a three-pointer of his own (assisted by Addison Phifer (Hadley, MA)). As the half drew near to the end, St. Joseph's would keep their lead 39-21.

The second half would start off with a pass from Sanchez to Mayfield to make a slam dunk to electrify the crowd. Seconds later, graduate student Tahquell Cadel (Bridgeport, CT) would make a pass to an open Cancel to make a three-pointer that kept the crowd on their feet. A few minutes later, junior Farai Zuvaradoka (Dracut, MA) would make a three-pointer that brought the Blazers within 15-point of the lead. The Monks would continue to hold off their lead as both sides contested for the ball and showed strong defensive efforts. With less than 13 minutes left in the contest, Cancel would sink another three-point shot (assisted by first-year Jaiden Lopez (Lebanon, CT)). Cadel would follow this by making a three-point play of his own with a layup drawing a foul. As the half continued, the St. Joseph's College would continue to add to their lead, but Mayfield would try to halt the Monks by making a steal leading into a breakaway into a second slam dunk on the night. Senior Neilon Bridgemann (Brooklyn, NY) would make a late jump shot and would be followed by a three-point shot from sophomore Michael Chido (Woburn, MA). With less than a minute, Lopez would make a three-pointer and first-year Samuel Ackah-Yensu would make a layup for the Blazers, but their efforts would keep the 83-51 in SJC's favor until the final whistle.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Mayfield would lead Elms by scoring 14 points and making two blocks.

• Cancel would lead the Blazers with six rebounds.

• Cadle would record a team leading three steals.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 24th hosting the Albertus Magnus College Falcons in game two of a doubleheader at 7PM.

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