Knights Lose to Lions 89-84

01.31.20

Warwick, R.I. – January 31, 2020: The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team traveled to New Haven, CT to take on the Gateway Community College Lions on Thursday night. Both teams battled until the very end where the Lions came out on top 89-84. The first region loss drops CCRI’s season record to 14-8 overall and 10-1 in Region XXI play.

The Knights traveled south on I-95 to New Haven, CT to the Lions’ den of Gateway CC. The first meeting between the two was settled by just two points, 81-79 where the Knights were victorious at the Vincent A. Cullen Field House back in November. This meeting proved to be just as competitive for the full 40 minutes.

Gateway opened up the hotter side and took an early 8-6 lead, five minutes into the action. The low scoring affair would continue with the Lions holding a lead over the Knights throughout the first half. At halftime Gateway led CCRI 40-37.

The Knights came out in the second half with a higher offensive intensity and went on an 8-2 run to take their first lead; 45-42. Sophomore co-captain Dylan Durante (Johnston, RI) helped bring the Knights back with four second half three-pointers. Gateway would answer back after breaking down the CCRI half-court trap to regain their lead. Freshman Reece Bullock (Coventry, RI) supplied 11 second half points himself to keep the Knights within striking distance of the surging Lions which lead the Knights 78-68 with five minutes left in the game.

CCRI was able to close the gap and make it a one possession game, 86-84 with 22 seconds left on the clock. Gateway held strong and would go onto win the game 89-84.

Dylan Durante led the line for the Knights with 21 points, going 5-9 from beyond the arc with an additional rebound. Reece Bullock tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two assists. Freshman Mitchel Noresca (East Providence, RI) secured 13 rebounds with eight points, two steals, one assist and one block. Sophomore co-captain Elijah Lewis (Bridgeport, CT) chipped in 12 points, six assists, five rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Sophomore co-captain Jeremy Remigio (Providence, RI) recorded a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Head Coach Rick Harris commented: “We knew this would be a very tough road game and we would have to play very well to win the game. We were not able to match Gateway’s intensity regarding rebounding the basketball and winning the battle of the 50/50 balls. In the long run the young men will learn some valuable lessons from this game, the biggest being that in our Region we have to bring our ‘A’ game and we can never let an opponent outwork us. We are all looking to improve and get back to playing how we are able this Saturday vs UConn Avery Point.

The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team will next be in action on Saturday, February 1st at 2:30 p.m. as they host the UConn Avery Point Pointers.

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The Community College of Rhode Island, New England's largest comprehensive community college, enrolls nearly 15,000 students in credit courses and thousands more in non-credit and job training classes. Its athletic program boasts 12 varsity programs and an academic support program for all student-athletes.