Box Score
PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Senior Leon Martin (Woodbury,
Conn.) scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Saturday afternoon
to lead Eastern Connecticut State University to a 97-84 victory
over Plymouth State University in the Little East Conference men's
basketball opener for both schools at Foley Gymnasium.
Eastern took the lead for good five minutes into the game, but had
to hold off a second-half Panther rally. After trailing by as
many as 13 points early in the second half, PSU battled back and
got the margin down to five points (85-80) with just under two
minutes to play. The comeback fell short when Eastern drained
10 of 11 free throws down the stretch.
Martin made 9-of-15 field goal attempts for the Warriors, leading a
group of four players who scored in double figures. Sophomore
Edwin Ortiz (Hartford, Conn.) scored 19 points, freshman Courtney
Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) added 17, and junior Kris Johnson
(Sturbridge, Mass.) chipped in with 12.
The Panthers got a team-high 26 points from sophomore Jason
O'Keefe (Everett, Mass.). Sophomore Mike
Chergey (Bow, N.H.) added 20 points, making 7-of-11
baskets from the low post, and junior guard Ben
Huntington (Hampstead, N.H.) added 19 points from the
perimeter.
After an early Panther lead, the visitors went on a 14-3 run to
take a 17-10 advantage midway through the first half. Eastern
extended its lead to 11 points with four minutes left in the half,
and it was an eight-point margin (44-36) at the intermission.
The Warriors maintained the lead the second half, leading by 13
points (55-42) with 17 minutes on the clock and by 11 points
(67-56) with 12 minutes to play. O'Keefe hit a pair of
three-pointers and Chergey made a couple of buckets down low to
help the Panthers get to within striking distance, but the rally
came up short.
PSU, 3-3 overall, is home again on Thursday, hosting Bridgewater
State in a non-conference match-up (6:00 p.m.) Eastern Conn.,
3-3, is back in action next Saturday, hosting UMass Boston in a key
LEC contest (3:00 p.m.)
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