Dec. 4, 2007
WENHAM, MA - Gordon College sophomore guard Aaron Trigg (Overland Park, KA/Blue Valley West) netted 15 points and added seven boards and five assists as the Fighting Scots defeated cross-town rival Endicott College, 66-57, in non-conference action tonight on the campus of Gordon College.
The visiting Gulls (1-5, 0-0 TCCC) opened the first half with a 4-0 run as sophomore guard Bobby Montrond (Brockton, MA/Brockton) hit a jumper with 18:47 to play in the half. The Fighting Scots (5-1, 0-0 TCCC) would come back to tie the game at eight apiece as Trigg knocked down his second three-pointer of the contest with 13:20 to play. The Gulls would re-gain the lead and the sides traded hoops over the next four minutes before GC sophomore guard Brady Bajema (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian) hit a trey of his own to tie the game at 16-16 with 7:10 to play in the opening frame.
The Gulls would then use a 7-0 run capped by a lay-up from grad student center Tom Connor (Kittery, ME/Traip Academy) to make it a 23-16 game with 5:10 to play in the half. Fighting Scots senior forward Jon Marstaller (Naples, ME/Lake Region) then hit a pair of free-throws but Connor retaliated with a jumper to keep the Gulls lead at seven, 25-18 with 4:50 showing on the clock. Following a Marstaller lay-up, with 2:19 to play, Endicott grad student forward Samuel Evans (Philadelphia, PA/The Hyde School) hit a jumper in the paint to make it a 27-20 contest. The Fighting Scots would use a an 8-2 run, capped by a three pointer from sophomore center Jeff Derr (Barrington, IL/Barrington) as time expired, to close the gap to one, 29-28, at the break.
After trading a pair of hoops to open the second half, Marstaller ignited the Bennett Center crowd by draining a deep three to tie up the game at 35-35 with 15:04 to play. GC would push the lead to four, 39-35, as Trigg hit a lay-up off a steal and senior forward Michael Schnackenberg (South Portland, ME/Cheverus) added a lay-up with 13:45 on the clock. Endicott sophomore guard Graham Whitelaw (Kennebunk, ME/Cheverus) hit a three just 20 seconds later to bring the Gulls within one, 39-38.
The Gulls would fight back to take the lead once again as Connor hit a jumper with 7:36 to play to make it a 47-44 contest in favor of the visitors. After Schnackenberg and Marstaller each drained a lay-up, EC senior guard Todd Burton (Lynn, MA/St. Mary's/Canterbury) tied the game for the fourth time, 48-48, with a free throw with 5:19 to play. Marstaller answered with a three before Evans brought the Gulls within one, 51-50 with 3:30 to go, but the Gulls would come no closer. GC senior guard Justin Kaufman (Redding, CT/Christian Hertiage) sunk five free-throws down the stretch as the Scots held on for the 66-57 victory.
GC earned its third consecutive win over the Gulls at home despite being out-rebounded 44-30 for the contest.
Marstaller led all scorers with 16 points while Trigg added 15 and Kaufman pitched in 13 points and four assists. Tom Connor led five Gulls in double-figures with 12 points and 10 boards while Samuel Evans also chipped in 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. EC freshman center Justin Martin (Cromwell, CT/Cromwell) blocked four shots while picking up six boards.
Endicott looks to put an end to its five game skid as they travel to New York over the weekend to play CCNY and New York University on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's contest against CCNY tips at 1:00 p.m.
