ELMS FIGHTS OFF REGIS RALLY FOR 64-47 WIN

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College junior guard Andre French (Torrington, Conn.) scored a game-high 15 points and the Blazers fended off a late rally to help post a 64-57 victory over Regis College in Saturday afternoon's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's basketball game at Picknelly Arena. With the win, Elms improves to 14-9 overall, 9-5 in league action, while Regis drops to 9-14 on the season, 6-8 in NECC play.

After posting a 24-22 lead at intermission, the Blazers built its advantage to as many as 17 (46-29 at the 11:29 mark) and held Regis scoreless over the first 5:20 of the second frame to help establish the cushion.

The Pride chipped away at Elms' lead, narrowing the gap to single-digits (49-41) at the 6:53 mark on a jumper by Robert Edwards (Memphis, Tenn.) and eventually pulled to within three on a made layup and free throw by Jonathon Josselin (Medford, Mass.) with 3:28 remaining in the contest.

A jumper by freshman guard Piere Simpson (Middletown, Conn.) put Elms ahead by five, and a trey by French with 1:44 to play following a pair of made foul shots by Ethan Peana (Staten Island, N.Y.) gave the Blazers a six-point, 57-51 lead.

Regis answered when Ryan Chambers (Abington, Mass.) canned a three-pointer of his own to set the score at 57-54 and keep the game at one possession with 1:16 on the clock.

The Blazers then hit on 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch, including a 4 for 4 effort by Simpson to lift Elms' lead to 64-55 with nine ticks on the clock. A Chambers bucket with three seconds left capped the scoring for the contest, giving the Blazers a hard-fought 64-57 victory.

Edwards tallied a team-high 14 points for the Pride, while Chambers and Josselin notched 13 points each in the losing effort. LaQuinn Shuler (White Plains, N.Y.) added seven points, while Peana collected a team-best 11 rebounds.

French led all scorers with 15 points, while Simpson finished with 13 points and junior guard Charles Bason (Riverdale, Md.) added 11 points in the winning effort.

Freshman forward Kenneth Lockett (Atlanta, Ga.) hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds and was one of six Blazers to score six points, joined by senior guard Daniel Gonzalez (East Windsor, Conn.) and junior forward David McDaniel (Plainfield, N.J.) who also contributed eight boards.

Despite losing the points off turnovers battle, 22-18, French recorded five steals and helped Elms net eight fast break points, allowing Elms stake its early second half advantage.

Regis returns to Higgins Court on Tuesday night when the Pride hosts Newbury College at 7:00 p.m.