Men’s Basketball Coasts Past Wells, 82-51

NAPLES, Fla. – The Suffolk men's basketball team capped off the 2018 portion of its schedule with an offensive onslaught over Wells paced by Alex Jacovides as the Rams cruised past the Express, 82-51, to wrap up action at the Naples Shootout Sunday night at the Community School of Naples. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 82 | Wells 51
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-5) | Wells (2-8) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Right from the get-go it was Suffolk with the Rams quickly jumping out to an 11-point lead less than five minutes into the action. The Express cut the deficit to eight, but would not get any closer with the blue-and-gold going off with 11 unanswered points to go up 24-5 near the midway point of the first half.  

Suffolk's advantage continued to grow and stretch to as many as 31 three times before a late triple from A.J. Nesci cut the margin back to 28, 44-16, as the teams headed into intermission. 

The second stanza was move of an evenly matched back-and-forth affair, but Suffolk's finesse over the first 20 minutes proved to be the difference and the Rams easily held on for the win.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Jacovides night featured 25 points on an 8-for-17 effort from the field, 4-for-8 showing from downtown and a 5-for-6 effort from the free throw line. The sophomore added five caroms, three dimes and a pair of steals to his stat line as well. 
• Michael Hagopian matched Jacovides' treys output with the senior putting away a quartet of triples as well to finish the night with 16 points to go with three boards and four helpers. 
• Steven DiPrizio had a well-balanaced performance of eight points, eight rebounds and two assists. 
• Jim Djema completed the trio of Rams in double figures with 10 points as the senior shot 3-for-7 from the floor with all his field goals coming from behind-the-arc. 
• All, but three of Suffolk's 14 players who took the hardwood contributed at least one point to the non-conference victory. 
• Suffolk shot a 47.1 percent from the field as a team, 40.0 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe. 
• The Rams outrebounded the Express, 55-33.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Wells clashed for the first time.
• Jacovides put together his second-straight 20-plus point performance with a new career-high 25 points. 
• Cameron Powers had a season-high nine points with two treys, which match a personal-best, to his credit. 
• Aref Elbeik made his collegiate debut and grabbed a pair of boards.
• Conor Creane put away the first hoop of his collegiate career to tally three points. 
• Jarret Byrne notched a career-high nine rebounds.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

LOOKING AHEAD
Suffolk takes a two-day rest before returning to action in Boston against its Beantown rival UMass Boston Thursday, Jan. 3. Game time at Beacons' home gym, the Clark Athletic Center, is set for 3 p.m.