Box Score
DUDLEY, Mass. – Junior Defensive Player of the Year Hans Miersma (Whitinsville, Mass.) recorded 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks to help the Gordon College men's basketball team overcome a 17-point second-half deficit and defeat top-seeded Nichols College 69-65 to capture the 2014 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Athletic Center.
Senior Park Thomas (Scottsdale, Ariz.) added 13 points and eight dimes as the third-seeded Fighting Scots (17-10) avenged a pair of regular-season losses to the Bison and advance to the NCAA Tournament after falling to Curry in the championship one year ago. Nichols, meanwhile, saw its seven-game win streak halted and will now wait and see if it receives an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Senior and CCC Player of the Year Ryan Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored a game-high 24 points for the Bison (22-6) while classmate Sam Horning (Falmouth, Maine) drained four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. Sophomore Gustave Koumare (Harlem, N.Y.) registered eight points and seven rebounds.
With their backs against the wall—trailing 56-39 with 10:32 left in the second half—the Fighting Scots closed the game on a 30-9 run behind 10 points from Miersma and two triples each from seniors Alex Carnes (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Shaun Roach (Weymouth, Mass.). Gordon tied the game at 62 on a layup by Carnes at 2:41, then took a 66-65 lead at the 1:09 mark when Miersma canned a jumper. Sheehan's jumper at the other end was blocked by Miersma, who then sank one of two from the line to push Gordon's lead to two.
On the ensuing possession, Koumare drove the lane for the tying layup and was fouled, sending him to the line. Koumare missed both attempts – the second of which was rebounded by senior Luke Hamilton (Mount Airy, N.C.), who knocked down two free throws with five seconds left to put his team up four and essentially seal the win.
Gordon shot 63 percent in the second half (15-of-24) and finished the game at 51 percent from the floor (22-of-43). The Fighting Scots also out rebounded the Bison 36-32 and overcame 22 turnovers – 15 of which came during the first half which Nichols finished ahead by eight (29-21). Koumare led all scorers with eight through the opening 20 minutes while Gordon was held without a field goal for the final 9:39 of the half. Thomas paced the visitors in the first half with seven.
Sheehan scored the first 11 points of the second half for the Bison – the last of which at 16:10 and gave them a 40-28 lead. Three minutes later, he sank a three-pointer to put his team ahead 50-35 before two free throws from sophomore Irving Eggleston (East Lyme, Conn.) increased the lead to 56-39.
Carnes finished the afternoon with 11 points – 10 of which came in the second half – while Hamilton scored eight of his 11 in the second half. Gordon rattled home 40 percent of its three's and 17 of its 21 free throw attempts (81 percent).
Saturday marks the third time the Fighting Scots have played in the CCC title game under head coach Tod Murphy. The Scots won the 2010 title in Murphy's first season with a senior-laden lineup, but fell to favorite Curry in the 2013 championship. Back with a similar lineup from a season ago, the Fighting Scots avenged four of their regular season losses en route to their second title in the last five years.
The title also signifies the first time two Gordon teams have claimed conference tournament championships in over 10 years. Field Hockey won the title by upsetting the University of New England in the fall.
Gordon will await the results of conference tournaments around the country, which are required to finish by early tomorrow afternoon. The 62-team bracket will be announced on Sunday or Monday.
