CCRI Escapes Rollercoaster Finish Over Massasoit Women’s Hoops, 64-63

BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Alexis Antonacci buried what proved to the game-winning 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left as the Community College of Rhode Island escaped with a 64-63 victory over the Massasoit women's basketball team on Tuesday night.

In a fourth quarter frenzy, Massasoit trailed CCRI 61-54 with 59.8 seconds left. Natascha Elias (Brockton) and Cynthia Laing (Boston) connected on back-to-back 3s, sandwiched around a CCRI turnover to pull the Warriors within one with 21 seconds left.

Following the Laing 3-pointer, Geornaisha Silva-Moore stole a pass in the CCRI backcourt and put in the go-ahead layup, putting Massasoit up 62-61 with 14.2 remaining.

On the ensuing CCRI possession, a missed shot bounced right out to the arc where Antonacci was there to respond with of a 3 of her own, giving the Knights a 64-62 advantage with 5.2 seconds remaining.

Massasoit drew up an out of bounds half-court play on its next possession, getting the ball to Elias who was mistakenly fouled on a 3-point attempt with 2.6 seconds left. Elias made her first attempt, but missed her next two at the charity stripe as the Warriors fell to 4-9 on the season. 

"Tough loss tonight," head coach Taryn Johnson said. "I am disappointed that we lost, but happy with our fight in the second half. We pulled ourselves back in the game and fought all the way until the end. No one wants to lose a game at the free throw line, but I couldn't have put a better shooter on the line than Natascha Elias. Sometimes you miss and sometimes you make them."

Elias finished with 17 points for the Warriors, featuring four 3-pointers.

Massasoit trailed 35-26 at the break.

Silva-Moore led all scorers with 23 points, including a jumper to beat the buzzer to end the third quarter. She scored 11 points in the third and 14 total in the second half. 

"I'm so proud of Geornaisha for leading us down the stretch tonight," Johnson said. "She was our floor general when we needed it and took care of the ball for us. We had good games from everyone."

Tatiana Dias (Brockton) finished with 11 first half points for the Warriors, while Gabby Boutin (Middleboro) came up with eight big points in the paint.

Despite a tough one-point loss, it was a much better showing by Massasoit against the Knights a second time around. In the first meeting back on December 1, Massasoit fell 74-45.

"We put up a much better fight than the last time we played CCRI," Johnson said. "We made a lot of in-game adjustments with our zone defense. We did a good job of taking #1 (Antonacci) out of the game for the most part, but of course she comes down and makes the wide open 3 to win the game for them off the missed shot."

Massasoit travels to Holyoke CC on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip.