STAC Tops Bridgeport for Fourth ECC Title in Five Seasons - Mar 9, 2020
The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team held off a second-half charge for a 74-67 victory over the University of Bridgeport in the East Coast Conference Tournament finals at the University of the District of Columbia. The Spartans have now won four ECC Tourney titles in the past five years, improving to 25-5 while top-seeded Bridgeport fell to 24-4. The Spartans now await word on seedings and pairings in tonight's NCAA Selection Show, which will air at 10:30 pm on NCAAsports.com. Osbel Caraballo (6'5''-F-98) was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player with a 25-point, 11-rebound performance on the heels of Saturday's 29 points in the semi-final victory over Daemen. Grant Singleton (6'0''-PG) added 12 points with Demetre Roberts (5'8''-PG) (11), Sekou Cisse (6'5''-F) (11) and Jamar Sudan (6'6''-F) (10) adding to the effort. Bakary Camara (6'7''-G/F) led four Purple Knights in double-figures with 15. Bridgeport grabbed a quick 7-4 lead on a pair of Jayden Itermendi free throws, but Sekou Cisse and Demetre Roberts scored five points each in a 14-3 response from the Spartans, taking an 18-10 lead with 8:38 remaining in the first half. STAC's defense frustrated the high-powered Purple Knights as a late Osbel Caraballo jumper opened a 36-23 advantage at intermission. After being held to just 27% shooting in the first half (7-26), the Purple Knights came out firing after the break, with D'Vonne Trumbo (6'1''-G),, Hashem Abbas (6'6''-F/C) (twice), and Travis Robinson-Morgan (6'0''-PG) each drilling three-pointers in the first 2:15 as a 14-3 run left a narrow 39-37 margin with 15:55 remaining. Bridgeport continued the momentum with a 9-2 burst to take a 59-55 lead with 5:16 to go. Sudan, Caraballo, and Cisse answered with buckets in a 6-1 spurt, giving STAC a 61-60 advantage with 3:37 left. Cisse converted one of two from the line to open a 64-61 gap with 2:18 left, but Ryo Kobayashi came off the UB bench to hit a three to deadlock the score at the 2:03 mark. Caraballo proceeded to impose his will, attacking the basket and hitting six free throws in the last two minutes and fittingly ending the game with a thunderous dunk as St. Thomas Aquinas secured the victory.
Courtesy of eccsports.org
ECC Tournament Final: Bridgeport - St. Thomas Aquinas 67-74 ECC Tournament Semifinals: Bridgeport - Molloy 119-88 St. Thomas Aquinas - Daemen 91-78
All-Tournament MVP: Osbel Caraballo (6'5''-F-98) of St.Thomas Aquinas Player of the Year: Andrew Sischo (6'9''-C) of Daemen Defensive Player of the Year: Bakary Camara (6'7''-G/F) of Bridgeport Rookie of the Year: Amari Lee (6'0''-PG) of Roberts Wesleyan Elite 19 Award: Arthur Scott (6'3''-G) of Molloy Coach of the Year: Mike Ruane of Bridgeport
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