Golden Bears travel to UNE for TCCC playoffs

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Western New England College men's basketball team has momentum heading into The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) playoffs.

Junior forward Mike Booker (Springfield, MA) led five starters in double figures with a season high 19 points as the Golden Bears defeated Colby-Sawyer 79-67 in the final game of the regular season for both squads Saturday afternoon (Feb. 21).

The victory was the fifth in six games for the Golden Bears who have a 9-15 record, including a 7-6 mark for eighth place in the league.

WNEC will meet top-seeded University of England in a quarterfinal round game of the conference tournament at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 24) in Biddeford, Maine.

Booker made 6-of-8 shots from the field, grabbed eight rebounds, and had three assists along with three steals and three blocked shots in perhaps his best outing of the year.

Western New England College had a balanced scoring attack as junior guard Rick Johnson (Springfield, MA) added 18 points. Both Johnson and Booker are transfers from nearby Springfield Technical Community College.

Senior guard Matt Maynard (Paterson, NJ) came close to a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.

Senior forward Kyle Fredette (Wallingford, VT) also scored 13 points with seven rebounds and two of the team's 11 blocked shots.

Both co-captains were honored before the contest during the Senior Day celebration.

Sophomore forward Brad Thomka (Springfield, MA) contributed 12 points and six rebounds.

The Golden Bears led 35-24 at halftime and by as many as 17 midway through the second half.

Colby-Sawyer also spread out its scoring with four players in double figures led by senior forward Duncan Szeliga (Newmarket, NH) who poured in a game high 20 points with nine rebounds. Junior guard David Rosso (Wilmington, VT) chipped-in with 12 points.

Two players had double-doubles, freshman forward James Tobin (Brookline, NH) (11 points, 12 rebounds) and junior forward Jon Chaloux (Barre, VT) (11 points, 11 rebounds).

The Chargers have an 18-6 record and 10-3 mark for second place in the conference. Colby-Sawyer will host seventh-seeded Wentworth in a first round TCCC playoff game.