Second Half Run Catapults Men’s Hoops To 80-74 Win Over Northern Essex

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BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Knotted at 43-all in the second half, the Massasoit men's basketball team used a 26-6 run and eventually held on to defeat Northern Essex, 80-74, at the Asiaf Field House on Tuesday night.

Massasoit (2-2, 2-1) finished with three players in double figures, led once again by sophomore Mike Ward (Brockton). The post player finished with a game-high and career-high 25 points, 17 coming in the first half. His point total tops his previous career-best of 24 that he scored in the team's last game at UCAP.

Jovani Harper-Lopez (Randolph) added 13 points, including a pair of 3s and Connor Schaefer (Bourne) came off the bench to pour in 11, nine of which came after halftime.

Steven McCall (Brockton) played a solid point guard for the Warriors and finished with nine points and Andrew Groh (East Bridgewater) chipped in with eight.

At the break, Massasoit led the visiting Knights 41-33, but Northern Essex (0-6, 0-3) used a 10-2 run bring the score square at 43-all.

From there, the Warriors stepped on the gas to the tune of a 26-6 run to blow the game open more than midway through the second half.

Despite a bevy of late 3s by the Knights, the Warriors held on for the six-point victory.

A marathon of a game, a total of 52 fouls were called en route to 66 attempted free throws. Massasoit went 21 of 37 at the line, compared to 18 of 29 performance by the Knights.

NECC was led by Adam Goldstein's 18 points, followed by Raymie Brown's 18. Isiah Ruffen added 12 and Grant Bellino netted 10 first half points. The Warriors held NECC leading scorer Eddie Cardona to just six points.

Massasoit hosts Bunker Hill on Thursday at 8 PM.