Wildcats upset Blazers in over-time

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Wheelock men’s basketball team battled back from a 13 point second half deficit to defeat second place Elms College 87-82 in overtime Saturday afternoon in front of 142 fans at Pine Manor College. Senior Sherard Robbins (Malden, Mass.) scored a game-high 29 points and 15 rebounds as the Wildcats improved to 12-6 on the season and 5-3 in the New England Collegiate Conference. The loss drops Elms to 13-6 on the season and 6-2 in the NECC.

Robbins nailed a jumper with 1:00 remaining in regulation to tie the game at 75. After a missed shot by Elms forward Edgar Martinez (Springfield, Mass.), freshman guard Andre French (Torrington, Conn.) grabbed the offensive rebound to give the Blazers another chance at the win, but the Wildcat defense forced a turnover to send the game to over-time.

Wheelock took the lead on a three pointer by Dan Main (Hopedale, Mass.), with 4:17 remaining in OT, but Elms regained the lead on a jumper by Antoine Holder (Hartford, Conn.), to make the score 79-78 Blazers. Wheelock sophomore Kyle Pierce (Burlington, Mass.) answered with a coast-to coast lay-up and one to give the Wildcats a lead they would never relinquish. Elms had a chance to tie the game with 15 seconds remaining, but Eric Rice (Woburn, Mass.) yanked down the rebound on a missed three-pointer by the Blazer’s Robert Hargrove (Detroit, MI) to secure the win.

The game was neck and neck for much of the first half, until Elms put together a 10-2 run mid-way through the first half to take a five point lead with 8:46 remaining, highlighted by five points from sophomore guard Bryant Corcoran (Wolcott, Conn., who finished with eight points on the day. The Wildcats fought back for the tie, but Elms finished the half with five consecutive points to give them the half-time lead, 38-33.

Elms shot only 15 percent from the field in over-time, while Wheelock shot 2-4 from the floor and shot 50 percent from the field for the game, led by Robbins, who shot 11-16 from the floor and Max Kaim (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) who was 7-15 for 18 points on the night. Pierce was a perfect 3-3 from the floor and 4-5 from the line to hit double-digits (10 points) for the first time since returning from a knee injury.

Elms was led by Senior Juan Maldonado (Holyoke, Mass.) who scored a team-high 17 points, while Martinez, Javon Mathis (East Hartford, Conn.), and Andre French also finished in double-digits.

The win moves the Wildcats to third place in the NECC, behind Elms and Becker College (6-0), who has control of first place. Wheelock next hosts Daniel Webster College next Tuesday at 7:00 pm, while Elms will host Southern Vermont College on the same night.