Monet Johnson evades a player from rival Dean College.

The CCRI Knights men’s and women’s basketball teams are once again in the spotlight, following a 2004-2005 season in which both teams reached the national tournaments in the same year for the first time. It looks as though both teams are poised to do it again. The women’s team is currently 5-2 while the men are currently 10-1, 6-0 in Region XXI and ranked #2 in the national poll.

The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team is currently riding a nine game win streak led by Marvin Owens (Bridgeport, Conn.) who is averaging 25.8 points per game (ranked #3 in the country), 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 steals, (#10 in the country), and 2.9 assists per game. Owens has been supported by a team full of solid contributors: Marquis Victor of Lawrence, Mass. (17 ppg, 2.2 assists, ranked #28), Connor Evans of Cranston (12.6 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists), Travon Little of Danbury, Conn. (10.6 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals) and Darby Brown of New London, Conn. (8 ppg, 2.1 steals). Brown recently posted nine steals for 14 points in a single game versus Orange County CC. The Knights’ tremendous team effort is demonstrated in their national rankings in several team categories: #6 in team 3-point field goal percentage at 37.8%, #9 in team offense at 89.2 ppg, and #21 in team defense, holding their opponents to an average of 73.1 ppg.

The CCRI Knights women’s basketball team has been riddled with injuries and has still posted an excellent 5-2 record for a ranking of 15^th nationally. Their only defeats were to #2 ranked Genesee CC and #4 ranked Monroe CC. Currently the Knights are without injured starting point guard and co-captain Renee Buck (Ft. Gully, Victoria, Australia) who had been leading the team in scoring at 15.5 ppg. Jenny Kinney (Milford, N.J.), starting power forward with 11.7 ppg is also on the DL. Head Coach Cas Grygorcewicz is proud to report terrific play from new players who are filling in the gaps for these starters. Freshman Monet Johnson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is averaging 15 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while Lasheena Boyd (Stratford, Conn.) has 9.7 ppg and 3.4 assists. Co-captain Ana Sierra (Bronx, N.Y.) is providing excellent leadership at the point in Buck’s absence averaging 7.1 points per game. The only returning player currently active is co-captain center Odessa Williams (Stratford, Conn.) who is averaging 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and two steals per game.

In other winter sports, the CCRI men’s and women’s indoor track teams have yet to start their team season but Sherilyn Nicholas (Taunton, Mass.) of the CCRI indoor track team finished ninth versus top 4-year Division I competition at the recent URI Pentathlon. In the event, Nicholas set three CCRI school records: one for the pentathalon with 2641 points, one in the 800m with a time of 2:34.5, and one in the high jump at 5’1 ¾". Her high jump mark qualifies her for the NJCAA Nationals in Kansas in February.