Jan. 30, 2007
BOSTON, MA - Former Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Year Sherrad Prezzie-Blue (Norwalk, CT/McMahon) scored a game-high 24 points including the game winning jumper with just four-seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Wentworth Instititute of Technology Leopards over Endicott College, 73-71 at the Tansey Gymnasium in Boston, MA.
The Leopards opened Tuesday night's game on their newly finished home court with vengeance on their minds, quickly jumping out to an 11-0 lead. Feeling the pressure of an early deficit, the Gulls used the three-ball to pull within striking distance, as Ross Stewart (Palm Harbor, FL/East Lake High School) connected on back-to-back possessions from behind the arc and Gary Corbett (Danbury, CT/Danbury) added a three of his own, to cut the lead to six. On the next Endicott possession, Graham Whitelaw (Kennebunk, ME/Cheverus) knocked down a deep three, edging the lead to 20-17 in favor of the home team.
The Gulls continued their strong shooting as the first half progressed, erasing the early 13 point up-hill battle that plagued the Blue and Green in the opening 20:00 minutes. After one half of play, Endicott trailed Wentworth by three at 36-33.
The Gulls returned to the court for the second frame and quickly made a statement as a Whitelaw three-pointer and a Nemanja Marinkovic (Belgrade, Serbia/Second Baptist, Houston, TX) jumper put the visitors up by three. Endicott would extend that lead to as many as eight, however the Leopards refused to disappear.
Wentworth's Sherrad Prezzie-Blue answered the bell when the Leopards needed him, as the junior guard scored eight of his teams final 15 points in regulation, including a game tying free-throw with thirty-seconds remaining to force overtime.
In the bonus period, the Wentworth defense came to play as Endicott was held without a field goal in the final 2:47 of overtime. With the score 71-all, senior Mike Sullivan (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) missed a go-ahead free-throw; Wentworth's Shane West (Saco, ME/Milford) scooped up the loose rebound and on the WIT offensive end it was Prezzie-Blue who knocked down the game-winner with four-ticks on clock to propel Wentworth to the 73-71 CCC victory. The win was Wentworth's first victory over Endicott since December 12, 1995.
Endicott was led by Gary Corbett's 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor. The junior forward also knocked down four three-pointers in the losing effort. Wentworth was paced by Prezzie-Blue's 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
With the loss, the Gulls fall to 7-9 overall and 5-3 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Endicott returns to the friendly confines of the MacDonald Gymnasium on Thursday night as they host New England College for an important CCC contest. Game time is slated for 8:00 PM in Beverly, MA.
