CHAMPS!!

CHAMPS!!

Finally, the University of New England will be able to lift the first Men's The Commonwealth Coast Conference banner to the rafters. The Nor'easters beat the Chargers of Colby-Sawyer 90-79, for the first male championship in UNE's Men's athletic history.
Saturday was a day filled with anxiousness and excitement, not only for the team, but the UNE community. Students started arriving about three hours before game-time, forming a line from the Campus Center doors past Freddy. This seemed to be the biggest event on campus besides the rave. Colby-Sawyer also brought about 100 students to cheer for the Chargers away from their home court.
In the first half, both teams were dead-on from the field, both shooting over 50% from the field and the teams exchanged leads 16 times. I wish I could say that this half consisted of great championship-caliber basketball, but it did not. The team of referees that were anything but championship-caliber took over. calling 27 first half fouls. Keep in mind that each half is only 20 minutes long. (For all you math geeks thats 1.35 fouls per minute, an amount that does not even happen in instructional league.) The teams combined to shoot 23-30 from the charity stripe in the first half. With some many stoppages, UNE was unable to get their fast-paced rhythm in check, and trailed 49-48 at intermission.
As it has been so many times this season, the second half was the Nor'easters half. UNE started the second frame on a 16-5 run, which then set the pace for the rest of the game. The Chargers kept went on a couple runs of their own, but UNE had an answer every time. TCCC Rookie of the Year provided one stop and put the momentum back in the Nor'easters hands as he called for an isolation and drove the lane for two as the shot clock dwindled.
The Nor'easters defense got tighter in the second half, holding Colby-Sawyer to only 37% in the half. UNE, however, heated up in the second period, especially from deep. The Nor'easters shot 52% from the field, including 64% from beyond the arc in the second half. Seniors Steve Belmonte and Johnnie Jefferson each knocked down four, and Thompson hit three treys for the home team. Four out of the five starters were in double figures for UNE, while Thompson led the way with 20. Senior Juice Simpson was one rebound away from a double double as he had 15 points and 9 rebounds.
The Nor'easters really came together as a team in the second half, using great defense to turn into their offense. This was a trademark victory to clinch The Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship. The record crowd of 1,092 at the Campus Center went nuts as Belmonte threw the ball to the rafters as time expired.
UNE will travel to Rhode Island on Thursday to play Farmingdale State College (New York). Farmingdale has some big men on their roster, 7 of which stand above 6'5''. The Nor'easters have overcome height deficiencies before, but this will be the toughest challenge yet.