MCLA pulls atop MASCAC with road win over Framingham State

Courtesy of Framingham State Sports Information

Framingham, Mass. – The MCLA Trailblazers used a 15-0 run to start the second half as the Trailblazers defeated the Framingham State University Rams 65-56 this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's basketball action at Framingham's Athletic Center.

With the victory the Trailblazers improve to 12-11 on the year and 8-2 in the MASCAC.  The victory also secures MCLA a top two finish in the league as they pulled into a first place tie with Westfield State.  Both squads have a pair of league games remaining.

The Rams fall to 8-16 overall and 1-10 in the conference.

John Jones recorded a double double with 13 points and 13 rebounds as he connected on 7-of-12 from the line.  Sophomore Ruben DelRosario (Springfield, Mass.) was the only other Trailblazer to reach double figures as he scored 10.  Senior Vernon Cross (Colonie, NY), freshman Paul Maurice (Boston, Mass.) and junior Ramon Viches (Boston, Mass.) scored nine points apiece for MCLA.

The Rams were led by senior guard Rico DePaolis (Watertown, Mass.) who tallied a game-best 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field including 3-of-6 from behind the arc.  Classmate Tyrone Figueroa (Revere, Mass.) scored 16 points, while sophomore Patrick Cuff (Medway, Mass.) grabbed a team-high 11 boards.

The Trailblazers used a pair of runs, one in each half to secure the victory. With the Rams leading 10-9 just over four minutes into the game, MCLA rattled off a 12-2 run capped by a Viches jumper to take a 21-12 lead. The Rams chipped away at the lead and cut the gap to two at the half as freshman Justin Bryan (Red Oak, TX) was fouled on a three attempt as time expired. Bryan sank all three free throws sending the game into the locker room with MCLA leading 30-28.

The Trailblazers opened the second half with their second run, a 15-0 spurt, to take the game's largest lead (45-28).  Figueroa ended the run with the Rams first field goal of the half, a three at 15:05, and followed that up with a lay-in in traffic.

The Rams cut the lead to seven on a Tim McCarthy (Wilmington, Mass.) bucket with 1:10 remaining in the game, but that was as close as they would get as Jones sank a pair of free throws in the final minute.

The Rams return to action on Tuesday night when they host Westfield State in a MASCAC game beginning at 8 p.m., while the Trailblazers travel to Fitchburg State on Tuesday evening in a MASCAC matchup at 7:30 p.m.