Kaim Scores Game-High 22 to Lead Men's Basketball over Newbury, 76-56
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newbury (8-14, 5-8 NECC) | 24 | 32 | 56 |
| Wheelock (11-10, 9-4 NECC) | 40 | 36 | 76 |
| Chestnut Hill, MA - Brunelli Court | |||
| Newbury | Wheelock |
|---|---|
| Pts: Steve Rosemond - 21 | Pts: Max Kaim - 22 |
| Reb: Eric Watson - 7 | Reb: Eric Rice - 11 |
| Ast: Tim Young - 3 | Ast: Max Kaim - 7 |
| Team Statistics | Newbury | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 34.9% (22-63 ) | 50.0% (33-66 ) |
| Rebounds | 30 | 46 |
| Assists | 4 | 23 |
| Turnovers | 9 | 13 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 14 | 12 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 4 | 8 |
| Pts in the Paint | 18 | 46 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 10 |
| Bench Pts | 36 | 0 |
CHESTNUT HILL, MA – Senior guard Max Kaim (Fort Lauderdale, FL) scored 22 points and added a game-high seven assists to lead the Wheelock College men's basketball team over visiting Newbury College, 76-56, in a New England Collegiate Conference contest this evening at Brunelli Court on the campus of Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA. The Wildcats improve to 11-10 overall and 9-4 in NECC play to clinch a conference playoff spot, while the Nighthawks fall to 8-14 and 5-8.
Wheelock held Newbury to just 34.9% (22-63) shooting from the field and dominated the boards by the count of 46-30.
Senior point guard Kyle Pierce (Burlington, MA) converted the first field goal of the second half on a layup for the Wildcats to increase their lead to 42-24 with just 18 seconds gone in the period. The lead wasn't as safe as it appeared, however, as the Nighthawks soared back with a 20-5 run, fueled by 11 points from sophomore guard Steve Rosemond (Everett, MA), to cut the deficit to 47-44 with 13:22 showing in the second half. Wheelock responded with a torrid 16-2 stretch, paced by five points from Pierce, to put the game out of reach at, 63-46, with 6:59 left to play in the game. Newbury came no closer than within 14 points the rest of the way as the Wildcats scored eight of the final 10 points.
Wheelock scored the first six points of the evening, while holding the Nighthawks scoreless over the first three minutes of the opening half, until freshman center Cameron Owen (Concord, NH) knocked down a jumper to make it 6-2 at the 17:01 mark. The Wildcats put together a blistering 15-2 burst, led by eight points from Kaim, to give the home team a commanding 21-4 advantage with 13:14 remaining in the first session. Wheelock later maintained a 25-6 lead at the 10:56 mark, before Newbury reeled off six straight points on consecutive three-pointers from Owen and junior forward Kenneth Melendez (Harlem, NY), to pull to within 25-12 with 8:47 to go before the intermission. It would be as close as the visitors would get for the rest of the period as the Wildcats led by as many as 17 before heading into the locker room with a 40-24 halftime cushion.
Kaim was 9-16 from the field, including 4-7 from three-point range in addition to four rebounds and a blocked shot for Wheelock, while senior center Eric Rice (Woburn, MA) finished with a double-double of 20 points on 10-18 from the floor and 11 rebounds to go with a pair of assists. Pierce finished with 16 points on 7-10 from the field and added six boards, three assists and two steals. Senior guard Victor Kashouh (Providence, RI) contributed with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal and junior swingman Bashir Hudson (Jamaica Plain, MA) finished a field goal short of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds in addition to four assists, a steal and a pair of blocks.
Rosemond led the Nighthawks with 21 points off the bench and added five rebounds, two steals and two blocks, while junior guard Tim Young (Brockton, MA) chipped in with 10 points, four boards, three assists, a block and a game-high four steals off the bench. Sophomore guard Eric Watson (New Rochelle, NY) contributed with nine points, seven rebounds and three steals.
The Wildcats will hit the road for a league match-up in Nashua, NH vs. Daniel Webster College on Saturday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m., while Newbury hosts Regis College (MA) at the campus of Hellenic College on February 9 at 7:00 p.m.
