Men’s Basketball Charges Past Colby Sawyer, 88-63

NEW LONDON, N.H. – Suffolk men's basketball handled its first road trip of 2022-23 as the Rams overpowered Colby Sawyer, 88-63, Wednesday night at the David L. Coffin Fieldhouse. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 88 | Colby Sawyer 63
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-0) | Colby Sawyer (0-3)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk poured in 13 unanswered points in the first three minutes to grab a lead it would never relinquish. The game opening rally feature six points from Commonwealth Coast Conference Player of the Week Keenan Robertson. 

The early edge quickly turned into 23-6 Rams advantage over the next three minutes with the blue-and-gold sitting in front comfortably, 29-9, at the midway point of the first half.  

In the final 10 minutes before half, the playing field leveled out as the teams traded hoops. Thankfully for its surging start, Suffolk took a 46-29 lead into the locker room.  

The Rams found their grove out of the break and a traditional three-point play from William Rowe restored the 20-point margin, 56-34, four minutes into the second half.  

See-saw action may have ensued, but Suffolk continued to keep the pressure on to extend the gap to 28, 72-44, with 10:57 left on the clock after Cole LeVangie and Liam Cunnie sandwiched treys around a Chargers layup.  

Colby Sawyer chipped away at the deficit as it put together a 9-0 run to cut the distance down to 19, 72-53, at the 7:15 mark of the second.  

LeVangie stopped the Suffolk scoring draught when he converted Aidan Sullivan's pass into two points.  That bucket ignited a 10-2 Rams run that truly put the game out of reach for the Chargers and sealed the 88-63 victory for Suffolk. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Sullivan powered Suffolk's offense with 25 points of his own on a 6-for-12 effort from the floor that included a 4-for-7 performance on the long ball and a 9-for-10 showing at the charity stripe. The senior floor general dished out eight assists to go along with eight boards and one block. 
• LeVangie notched 17 points on a 6-for-13 showing from the field. He also pulled eight boards down and had three takeaways, one dime and one takeaway on his stat line as well. 
• Robertson registered 14 points, six rebounds and two helpers. 
• Rowe rounded out the Rams in double figures with an 11-point performance on a 5-for-6 effort from the field. He added seven rebounds, four set-ups and one block. 
• As a team, Suffolk shot 52.6 percent (30-57) from the floor, 44.0 percent (11-25) from downtown and 68.0 percent (17-25) from the foul line. 
• The Chargers, who receive double digit point product from Terrence Harvey Jr. (11) and Scott Lampron (10), shot just 37.7 percent collectively on the night.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk improved to 4-3 all-time against Colby Sawyer. 
• The Rams have won three games in a row against the Chargers.
• Suffolk is 3-0 under Jeff Juron against CSC.
• Suffolk moved to 2-2 on the road versus the Chargers. 
• The Rams started the year 2-0 for the first time since 2020-21. 
• Suffolk tied the most points scored against Colby Sawyer with an 88-point offensive output. The last time the Rams put up 88 points against the Chargers was a 92-88 setback Feb. 15, 1992. 
• The 25-point margin of victory ties the largest win for Suffolk over Colby Sawyer all-time. The last time the Rams defeated the Chargers by 25 points with the first-ever triumph over CSC, an 80-65 decision, Feb. 14, 1991. 
• LeVangie tied a career-high points (17) and blocks (1) and set a new personal-best in rebounds (8) and steals (3).
• Sullivan supplied a career-high in points (25) and tied a personal-best in triples made (4) and free throws made (9). 
• Liam Cunnie grabbed a career-high four caroms.  
• Kaelen Kanealey set-up a personal-best three shots. 

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is back at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court Saturday, Nov. 19 when it welcomes Eastern Nazarene to the basement of the Ridgeway Building for a 3 p.m. contest. The outing will serve as the Rams Suicide Awareness Game.