NEWPORT, R.I. (February 24, 2022)– The Western New England men's basketball team had a crushing close game loss to the Salve Regina Seahawks in the CCC semifinal game in Newport today for a final score of 66-62.

Records:

• Western New England: 13-14
• Salve Regina: 21-6

How It Happened:

Alex Sikorski put the first points on the board for the Golden Bears to start the semifinal game action. Gavin Greene made a layup to give WNE a 4-0 lead until Salve Regina laid up a basket of their own. Brian Geitner hit his first jumper before the Seahawks tied it up at 7-7 with 16 minutes left in the first half of the game. This started the first spirt of lead changes and tied up scores, both teams hitting basket after basket. A little more than halfway through the first half at 9:50 Brian Berritto tied the score back up for the Golden Bears at 17-17, and then Salve took the largest lead of the first period at just five points for a score of 24-19. Sikorski started off the scoring run for WNE that got the game back at a tied score at 24-24 just 4:28 before halftime. Greenehit the two baskets that gave the Golden Bears the game lead. WNE was up 30-29 with a 1:07 on the clock. The Seahawks tied the game on the foul-line for the final basket of the half, score 30-30.

The Seahawks opened the second half of play with a layup and Sikorski returned one of his own. Western New England hit their first three pointer of the game from Geitner to put them up by three, and continuing the back-and-forth action, the Seahawks returned one at the other end to tie the game 35-35 at the 16:23 mark in the second half of play. The Seahawks led by two-points until 13:37 when Jake Harrison tipped in a layup to tie it back up again. Salve knocked in two three-pointers in a row, their ninth three of the game, to give them back the game, 43-37 12:12 to go in the semifinals. It took two minutes for WNE to make another basket, a layup from Tim Restall. Every basket the Golden Bears hit, the seahawks went right back down the court and made a basket of their own and they took the largest lead of the game almost halfway through the last half at 10:06, 48-41. Geitner on fire this half, hit another jumper for WNE. The Seahawks put their lead back at seven points now 6:54 to go. The most action happened in just six minutes left of action for WNE. Harrison laid in another basket for a five-point differential, Restall put them within three points with a hook shot under five minutes left, and another Geitner jump shot made it a one-point game, 56-55 at 3:44. Salve Regina brought it back to a three point game again on a foul shot, and Restall knocked in a bucket to put it back at one, and another one to take the lead, the score now 59-58 at the 2:09 mark. The Seahawks retake the lead with one layup after another in a minute of play. After failed shot attempts by the Golden Bears, the seahawks maintained possession in the last 30 seconds of the game. Fouls put them on the line, and they brought the lead to five, 64-59. Sikorski nailed in a top of the key three to bring it back to a two-point game with nine seconds to go, but unfortunately two more foul shots for the Seahawks gave them a four-point lead again. They close out the game, and the Golden Bears lose a heartbreaker, 66-62.

Inside the Numbers: 

• As a team, the Golden Bears shot 45.2 percent from the floor, a low of 11.8 percent from the three, and 50.0 percent from the foul line while gathering 44 rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and no blocks.
• Salve Regina shot 38.7 percent from the hardwood, 32.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 69.2 percent from the free throw line while tallying 31 rebounds, 20 assists, eight steals, and three blocks.
• The Golden Bears were led by Greene and Geitner who both had 14 points. Greene added nine rebounds, and Geitner with three assists.
• Harrison led the team in rebounds with 11, he added nine points for the Golden Bears, Restall contributed 12 points, and Sikorski added 11. 

Up Next:

• With the loss to the Seahawks, this was the Golden Bears final game of the 2021-22 Season. They finished their season with a record of 13-14.
• The Seahawks will go on to play in the CCC championship game against the #1 seed, Nichols College, this Saturday, February 26, at 6 p.m.