Lasell Comes Up Short in ECAC Semi-Finals

Newton, Mass.- Becker College claimed a 85-82 victory in the ECAC New England Tournament semi-finals, upsetting the no. 1 seeded Lasers of Lasell College. After 15 lead changes and thirteen ties, the Hawks earned the right to host the championship finals on their home court.   The Lasers completed their 2008-2009 season with a 19-10 overall record. 

After four minutes of trading baskets in the first half, the lasers took their first lead since the opening bucket, at 9-8, with a three point play by Corey Godfrey (Cambridge, Mass.).  At 11:15, the Lasers remained in a slight lead, at 20-18, after the first three of the game, which was hit by Kevin Fallon (Manasquan, NJ).   However, just two minutes later, DJ Exum (New London, Conn.) tied the game up for the Hawks at 21-all, hitting the front end of two free throws.

By 7:15, the Lasers held a seven point advantage at 30-23, but the Hawks clawed their way back into the game, going up 33-32 over the course of three minutes by forcing Lasell turnovers and hitting layups in transition. Rajai Leggett (New Haven, Conn.) hit the go-ahead lay up just under the five minute mark.

Lasell regained control of the scoreboard with a three by Junior Sainval (Miami, FL), then went ahead 41-36 with a minute to go, but the Hawks came back to tie the game with a last second trifecta by Trey Jacobs (Lexington Park, MD) to finish the half 41-41.

The Hawks scored the first four buckets of the second half and went up as much as 11 by the 14th minute.  It was Fallon who scored eight unanswered points for the Lasers beginning at the 12 minute mark to bring the game to within three points at 67-64. Sainval tied the game for the ninth time with a deep three from the left wing.

The teams remained in deadlock at 80-all with 1:41 on the clock, but Travis Suber (Springfield, Mass.) put in a Hawk go-up bucket off a second chance shot at 1:10.   The Lasers had two opportunities or score in the next consecutive possessions but they did not hit.  Being forced to foul, the Lasers sent Suber back to the line, who hit both shots with 14 seconds remaining.   A baseline jumper by Fallon kept the Lasers alive with 6.5 seconds on the clock, but after another Laser foul, and one of two free throws by Suber, the Lasers found their last chance opportunity with 4.7 seconds left.  Lasell got off a three point shot to tie the game, but were unsuccessful, coming up short in a 85-82 defeat.

Suber was the leader in points on the evening with 28 total, adding 6 rebounds and five assists.  Jacobs and Leggett each recorded double-doubles for the Hawks.  Jacobs scored 20 points and notched 12 rebounds while Leggett had 18 points and grabbed 15 boards, adding two blocks. 

Lasell's Jose Guitian (Miami, FL) tallied a near triple-double in his final game as a Laser, finishing with 17 points, 16 boards, and 8 assists.  Fallon completed 16 points in his standout performance for the Lasers, connecting on four three-pointers, and fellow seniors Brad Caravoulias (Dracut, Mass.) and Sainval each put in 11 points and took down four rebounds in their final showing.