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Western New England University

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MBB 1.3.26
95
Winner Western New Eng. WNE 8-3,2-1 CNE
67
Gordon GC 3-9,2-2 CNE
Winner
Western New Eng. WNE
8-3,2-1 CNE
95
Final
67
Gordon GC
3-9,2-2 CNE
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western New Eng. WNE 41 54 95
Gordon GC 27 40 67

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Six Golden Bears Dial Up Double Figures, Help Men’s Basketball Smash Gordon 95-67 in Conference of New England Play

WENHAM, Mass. (January 3, 2026) – The Western New England men's basketball team used a balanced attack, one that featured six players in double figures, to defeat the Fighting Scots of Gordon College on Saturday afternoon by a near 30-point margin, coming up with a 95-67 victory.

Records:
  • Western New England: 8-3, 2-1 CNE
  • Gordon College: 3-9, 2-2 CNE
How it Happened:

First Half:
  • Avery Mickens made the start at guard for the Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon and immediately cashed in from distance for WNE on an assist from Luka Vlajkovic, getting the Golden Bears rolling early. Nate Kasper had his first points of the afternoon on a layup, giving the Golden Bears a 5-2 lead. Gordon's Sean Quanico had a quick five points of his own on Saturday afternoon to help the Fighting Scots even the game at 16:05 left in the half. Travis Mangual's first of ten first-half points came with five minutes of elapsed time in the half while hitting an ensuing pair of free throws that gave the Golden Bears a 13-7 lead. 
  • The Golden Bears continued their strong offense with back-to-back hoops from Frantz Pierre Jr., while Kasper continued to get to the rim, scoring a quick eight points in the first nine minutes of the game to help give the Golden Bears a 21-14 lead. Quanico and Alex Daniel didn't let the Golden Bears bury the home team, with Daniel reaching a quick nine points for Gordon at the midway point of the half, keeping Gordon within one, 21-20, with 9:53 left in the half.
  • Following a timeout from Western New England, the Golden Bears took over with the next ten points, all inside the arc as Max Jones, Will Laplante III, Pierre Jr., and Mangual contributed on the offensive end to give the Golden Bears their first double-digit lead of the afternoon, taking a 31-20 lead with 6:22 to play. WNE held their double-digit lead all the way to the horn to end the half with Luka Vlajkovic getting on the scoreboard late while Laplante hit from the outside to give the Blue and Gold a 41-27 halftime lead. 
  • Western New England shot 18/38 in the opening half, struggling from the outside, hitting just three of 14 attempts, but was 15/24 inside the arc to take the 14-point lead at the break. Gordon made just nine field goals and shot 36% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. 
Second Half:
  • Nate Kasper quickly got himself into double figures in scoring with a layup to open the second half while the Golden Bears continued to take it to the Fighting Scots, picking up an 18-point lead just over two minutes into the half when Mickens was on the board with his third triple of the afternoon, taking a 51-33 lead. Gordon chipped away to get back within 12, capped off by a Quanico layup, but a Laplante III triple put him with ten points for the afternoon, stopping the run from the Fighting Scots. 
  • The Golden Bears got hot from the outside over a three-minute span that saw WNE's 54-40 lead quickly grow to a massive 67-42 lead in under three minutes of play. Kasper, Laplante, and Mickens continued to hit from the outside, forcing a timeout from the Fighting Scots with 12:55 to play in the game. Following the timeout, Gordon picked up the next five points heading into the midway points of the half. 
  • Scoring slowed down over a three-minute span that saw neither team pick up a bucket, with the game well in hand for the Golden Bears, who led by 29 points following an and-one attempt from Eddie McCoy with 6:29 to play, helping the Golden Bears to an 82-53 lead. McCoy had the hot hand in his final minutes of action on Saturday, finishing with eight points as WNE continued to take it to Gordon in the final five minutes of the game. Jason Britschge, Drezell Duffaut, and Frantz Pierre Jr. all helped the Golden Bears get back on track in Conference of New England action, smashing Gordon by a final score of 95-67. 
Inside the Lines:
  • Six Golden Bears picked up at least ten points in the game, including 15 from Nate Kasper, a new career-high. Kasper went 7/13 from the field and ½ from deep while grabbing five rebounds, four assists, and four steals. 
  • Avery Mickens was hot from the outside on Saturday, hitting five triples to come up with 15 points, matching a career-high. Mickens picked up a rebound, an assist, and a steal in the game. 
  • Will Laplante III collected his first career game in double figures for the Golden Bears, picking up 14 points on 5/10 shooting, including 3/8 from the outside. Laplante also picked up seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal. 
  • Eddie McCoy, Travis Mangual, and Frantz Pierre Jr. all recorded ten points each for the Golden Bears to help WNE to a victory. 
  • WNE was an efficient 19/35 from the field in the second half, shooting over 54% from the field. Western New England ended up shooting 50.7% from the field in the game, raining in ten threes. 
  • WNE out-rebounded Gordon 43-36 and held the lead for 37:26 of the 40-minute game. 
  • The Golden Bears earn their fifth straight win over Gordon.
Up Next on the Schedule:
  • The Golden Bears battle with the Gulls of Endicott College on Tuesday, January 6, at 7:30 PM on the road in Conference of New England action. 
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