BROOKLINE, Mass. – Sophomore guard Derek Mayo (Casco, Maine) connected on nine of 15 shots from the floor, en route to a career-high 22 points as the Wentworth men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 64-55 win at Newbury.
The two teams combined to miss their first seven shots before the Nighthawks took a 5-0 lead on a three pointer from junior guard Tim Young (Brockton, Mass.) and a layup from freshman guard Dallas Serrano (Valley Stream, N.Y.). An 8-0 run – with five of the eight points coming from junior forward Corey Therriault (Auburn, Maine) – gave the Leopards an 8-5 lead and Wentworth would lead by five (13-8) when senior guard Adam Dombrowski (Dunstable, mass.) buried a three with 12:38 left in the half.
Newbury went on a 10-0 run to take an 18-13 lead, thanks to five points apiece from sophomore guard Eric Watson (New Rochelle, N.Y.) and senior forward Jason Marshall (Fairburn, Ga.). Five straight points from Mayo and baskets from senior guard Eric Prue (Auburn, Maine) and Therriault helped to give the Black & Gold a 22-20 lead with 5:33 left.
Young buried a three to put the Nighthawks ahead, 23-22, with 3:50 left and the hosts extended their lead to 31-27 at the break. Over the first 20:00, Wentworth was held to 31.4 percent from the floor while Newbury connected on 40 percent of its shots.
A Marshall basket early in the second stanza extended the Nighthawk lead to 33-27, but Prue answered with a three pointer which ignited a 14-0 run and gave the Leopards a 41-33 lead with 14:03 to play. During the run Prue had six points while Therriault added four.
Wentworth maintained the lead throughout the remainder of the half, thanks in part to shooting 54 percent from the floor and forcing eight Newbury turnovers. The Leopards would lead by as many as a dozen with 4:00 left.
Mayo added eight rebounds to go along with his 22 points, while Therriault scored 15 points and grabbed five boards. Prue finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in the win.
Watson and Young led the Nighthawks with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Wentworth (5-3) steps back into Commonwealth Coast Conference play when the Leopards host Nichols on Saturday, while Newbury (4-6), which lost its second straight, returns to New England Collegiate Conference play Saturday when the Nighthawks host Wheelock.
