Basketball Cut Down by No. 12 Columbus in National Tournament
03.13.20
Mikey Gamble
Warwick, R.I. – March 13, 2020: The CCRI Knights men’s basketball team took on the No. 9 seeded and No. 12 Nationally ranked Columbus State Community College Cougars (OH) in a consolation game as part of the NJCAA DIII National Tournament Thursday morning. The teams combined for 202 points but the Cougars pulled away, winning 109-93. The loss finishes CCRI’s season with a record of 23-12.
Columbus State started the hotter of the two teams, taking a 12-2 lead four minutes into the game. The cougars held that pace and the lead grew to 14 points, 29-15 with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. Columbus was spurred forward by Elijah Bishop and his 14 first half points.
The Knights would buckle down and battle back to draw within four points, trailing 32-28 with seven minutes left before the break. CCRI was led through the opening 20 minutes by freshman Mitchel Noresca (East Providence, RI) with 13 points. At the half way mark, Columbus State were on top of CCRI 55-44.
The second half would spark the offense of a few Knights. Freshman Mikey Gamble (Hartford, CT) went off with 18 second half points while freshman Tyreek Davis (Torrington, CT) posted 14 second half points off the bench. Sophomore co-captain Elijah Lewis (Bridgeport, CT) also chipped in 11 points in the second half to help the effort. Sadly, the Cougars were always out of reach, outscoring the Knights 54-49 in the second half. The Knights would fall by a final score of 109-93.
CCRI was led by Mikey Gamble with 26 points, making five three-pointers with six rebounds, five assists and one steal. Tyreek Davis had a career-high 23 points, making four three-pointers along with two steals, two assists one block and one rebound. Mitchel Noresca tallied 13 points, six rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal. Noresca also finishes the season with 523 rebounds, smashing the old CCRI record and finishing with the most in the nation. Elijah Lewis contributed 11 points, making three three-pointers along with three assists and one rebound to the effort.
The CCRI Knights men’s basketball ends the 2019-20 season with a 23-12 overall record, going 19-3 in Region XXI play and winning the Region XXI/East District Championship.
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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 10 varsity, four club programs and an academic support program for all student-athletes.