Defense, Rebounding Lead Massasoit to Road Win at MassBay, 78-69

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. ---- The Massasoit men's basketball team played solid defense all night and held the MassBay Buccaneers in check on the way to a 78-69 road victory on Thursday.

It was the Massasoit (2-3) defense that proved to be the difference in the ball game in Framingham as the Warriors held the high-powered MassBay (5-2) offense to a season-low 69 points. The Bucs entered Thursday night averaging 96.2 points per game, surpassing the 100-point plateau in each of their last two contests.

The Warrior defense gave MassBay fits as it shot a season low 31.9 percent from the field and allowed the Bucs to make just 8-of-27 from 3-point range. MassBay had made 37 of 68 (54.4 percent) shots from beyond the arc in its previous two games.

Massasoit also got after it on the glass, pulling down a season-high 49 rebounds, compared to just 32 by MassBay. Mark Munroe (Quincy) and Rollsky Edouard (Holbrook) each corralled 10 boards a piece, while Jovani Harper-Lopez (Randolph) and Rael Handy (Easton) added eight rebounds apiece.

On offense, Handy filled up the box score, finishing with a 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Warriors dished out a season-best 17 helpers on the night. Handy finished 8-of-16 from the floor and sank four 3-pointers.

Right behind Handy in the scoring department was Rollsky Edouard (Holbrook) with 23 points. The guard drained a season-best five 3-pointers to along with his 10 boards for a double-double. Mark Georges (Avon) chipped in with 11 points, all in the first half.

Massasoit led 38-30 at the break as Georges, Handy and Edouard combined for 29 of the team's points prior to intermission.

The Warriors host Springfield Tech on Saturday at 3 PM.