Tag: NHTI

NHTI ends with a win

By: Mike Whaley

RICHMOND, Va. — The NHTI men’s basketball team closed out the 2023-24 season with a victory, coming from behind to beat Villa Maria, 95-85, in the consolation round of the USCAA Division II national tournament on Tuesday.

The Lynx (21-5) trailed 36-34 at the half, but pulled ahead in the final 20 minutes to claim the win as five players reached double figures. Joseph Cantey led the way with 22 points, while Terrian Wester added 17 points and 17 boards. Dahsan King scored 19 points off the bench, including 7 of 7 from the foul line. Dontavious Elder had 11 points and five rebounds, and Rahsheen Caulk Jr. notched 10 points, making 8 of 10 free throws. NHTI shot 22 of 27 from the foul line as a team. Juston Johnson led Villa Maria with 17 points.

NHTI upset at USCAA nationals

By: Mike Whaley

RICHMOND, Va. – Wilvens Fleurizard scored with one second to play as No. 10 Penn State Wilkes Barre came from six points down in the final three minutes to upset No. 2 NHTI in the USCAA Division II national tournament on Monday, 85-83.

NHTI led by six (80-74) with 2:56 to play, but could not hold off Penn State, who will play in today’s national semis, 4 p.m., vs. PSU York. NHTI will play a consolation game at 11:30 a.m. vs. Villa Maria.

The game was tied at 39-all at the half. NHTI (20-5) had six players in double figures, led by Joseph Cantey (4 rebounds, 4 assists) and Sterling Blakely (5 rebounds) with 17 points each. Dahsan King added 14 points, Terrian Wester had 11 points and eight boards, while Dontavious Elder and Rahsheen Caulk Jr., each had 10. Fleurizard led all scorers with 24 points and 17 boards.

Rochester freshman Jenna Philbrook played for Southern Maine CC in the women’s tournament. She had seven points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals in Sunday’s 64-55 win over Five Towns College. SMCC lost on Monday to Johnson & Wales U., 62-37. Philbrook had six points, six boards, four steals, and three assists. SMCC finishes up its season today in a consolation game vs. PSU Beaver at 1:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the USCAA released its Division II All-American teams. Several players from NHTI and Great Bay CC were honored. Named to the women’s second team was GBCC’s Mary Paradis (Rochester), while Madison Lovely (Fremont) was honorable mention. For the men, NHTI’s Wester and GBCC’s Kingsley Breen (Dover) were named to the D-II first team, while NHTI’s Cantey and GBCC’s Theo Wolfe were tabbed as honorable mention.

NHTI claims YSCC crown, No. 2 seed for national tourney

By Mike Whaley

CONCORD – The NHTI men’s basketball team swept through the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) tournament with three wins, all on their home court, to claim the automatic berth in the USCAA Division II national tournament, March 9-13, in Richmond, Va.

The Lynx (20-4) were the YSCC’s top seed and they did not disappoint with wins over No. 8 Paul Smith, 109-71; No. 4 Great Bay CC, 95-78, and No. 6 Central Maine CC, 80-78. In the championship on Sunday vs. Central Maine, NHTI trailed 43-33 at the half, but rallied in the second half to pull off the win. Tournament Offensive MVP Sterling Blakely led five players in double figures with 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting. Also reaching double digits were Joseph Cantey (14) and Dahsan King, Richard Hartley and Rahsheen Caulk Jr. with 11 apiece. Tournament MVP Dontaveous Elder added eight points, seven boards and five steals, while Terrian Wester had eight points and 12 rebounds. CM’s Logan Myers scored a game-high 20 points. 

Central Maine had a 13-point lead (66-53) with 10:30 to play, but NHTI went on a 15-0 run as part of a bigger 27-12 surge to come from behind to win the game. CM upset No. 3 VTSU-Randolph and No. 2 SMCC to gain the championship game.

The Lynx will be the No. 2 seed at the national tournament, which opens Sunday. NHTI earns a bye and will play Monday against the Sunday first-round winner of the Southern Maine CC/Penn State Wilkes Barre game at 1 p.m.

In the semifinal win Saturday over Great Bay, King and Cantey scored 28 and 25 points, respectively, to pace the Lynx. Wester added 14 points and seven rebounds. Mpore Semuhoza led the Herons (18-8) with 25 points,  while Dover’s Kingley Breen added 21 and Theo Wolfe chipped in with 14. Great Bay was a borderline pick to the national tourney, needing to get to the conference final to likely punch a ticket there, which they were unable to do.

NHTI rolled over Paul Smith in the first round on Feb. 24 behind 23 and 22 points each from Cantey and King. Elder added 13 points and Wester had 10 points and 17 rebounds.

Check out the full photo gallery from NHTI’s big win on Sunday by Cindy Lavigne of Lavigne’s Live Shots below.

On the women’s side, YSCC champion Central Maine CC, UMaine-Augusta and SMCC all made it to the national tournament.

The all-conference teams were selected, and several NHTI and GBCC players were honored. On the men’s side, NHTI’s Wester and GBCC’s Breen made the first team, while NHTI’s Cantey and GBCC’s Wolfe were picked to the second team. Earning honorable mention was NHTI’s King.

For the women, GBCC’s Mary Paradis (Rochester) was named to the first team and teammate Madison Lovely (Fremont) was selected to the second team. NHTI’s Emma Broadstone was honorable mention.

📸 Cindy Lavigne, Lavigne’s Live Shots…

NHTI men beat SMCC at the buzzer in OT

By Mike Whaley

SOUTH PORTLAND, ME – Terrian Wester’s steal and off-balanced layup at the buzzer lifted the NHTI Lynx to a 107-105 overtime win at Southern Maine CC on Wednesday in YSCC men’s basketball action.

With the game tied at 105-all, SMCC had the ball with 9.8 seconds to play. The Seawolves used up 5.1 seconds unable to get the ball past halfcourt, calling timeout with 4.7 seconds to play with the ball still in the backcourt. When they returned, they made a cross-court pass that Wester intercepted. He drove to the basket and put up his shot with his left hand with a second showing. The ball went through the net for the win as time expired.

NHTI remained undefeated at 6-0, while SMCC fell to 5-3, suffering its third straight loss. SMCC is the defending conference champions. Both teams made the USCAA national tournament last winter.

SMCC led by as many as 15 points early in the second half, but NHTI rallied to take a 12-point advantage with 6:13 to go – a 27-point swing. But the SeaWolves came back to tie the game and force OT. The Lynx were deadly from 3-point range, making 26 of 52 triples, while also taking advantage of 28 SMCC turnovers, which led to a 37-9 advantage on points off turnovers.

Dahsan King topped NHTI with 25 points, while Joseph Cantey added 23 and Jonathan Hernandez had 19. Wester scored eight of his 10 points in overtime and led everyone with 14 rebounds and eight assists. He was the only player to play all 45 minutes. Sterling Blakely added 16 points off the bench.

For SMCC, Thomas Martinotti had 21 points, followed by Adam Savage (nine boards) with 19 and Randy Vasquez with 17. All five starters reached double figures.

In the prelim, the SMCC women rolled past NHTI, 86-43, to improve to 6-1. The SeaWolves were led by Hannah Thorsen’s 15 points, the lone SMCC player in double figures.

The Lynx (1-2) were paced by Alexis Christensen with 12 points and Janessa Lofton with 10.