Men's Hoops Knocks Off Salem for Fifth Straight Win

SALEM, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State College Bears erased a three-point halftime deficit en route to a 78-75 victory over the Vikings in a Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference game played this afternoon at James Twohig Gymnasium.

January 24, 2009

SALEM, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State College Bears erased a three-point halftime deficit en route to a 78-75 victory over the Vikings in a Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference game played this afternoon at James Twohig Gymnasium.

SSC (14-3 overall; 4-1 MASCAC) was defeated for the first time in nine games while the Bears (11-6 overall; 4-1 MASCAC) extending their winning streak to five.

The Bears placed four player in double-figure scoring with senior forward Roland Millien (Stoughton, MA) leading the way with 17. Millien also added a team-high 10 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Senior forward Stace Garrick (West Warwick, RI) added 14 points for visitors who also received 11 points and five rebounds from sophomore guard Judah Jackson (Everett, MA), and 10 points from sophomore forward Nicholas Motta (Fairhaven, MA).

With his team-high 17 points, Millien increased his career scoring total to 963 as he is closing in on the 1,000-point milestone.

After trailing the Vikings by three at the half, Millien and company roared back to take a 16-point lead at the mid-point of half number two. However, SSC made a late run to cut to the Bears' lead to three (78-75) prior to committing a game-ending turnover in the final seconds.

The Vikings were led by senior center Dylan Holmes (Groton, MA) who led all scorers with 21 and all rebounders with 13. Holmes also added a pair of assists, a block and a steal.

SSC also received 14 points from freshman swingman Dan Clark (Deerfield), 13 points from sophomore swingman Nick Linear (Salem, MA) and 10 points from senior guard Ricky Ogboin (Boston, MA). Ogboin netted all of his points, icluding a pair of threes, in the first half.

SSC senior guard Stevie Celestin (Somerville, MA) dished out a game-high seven assists and also collected nine rebounds. Junior guard Matt MacLaughlin (Rochester, MA) had a team-high five assists for the Bears, who received a pair of huge second half three-pointers from sophomore guard Corey Connor (Providence, RI).