Sam Leclerc
Sam Leclerc

Five Score in Doubles as Assumption Ousts Bentley in NE-10 Playoffs

WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior forward Tim Beinert (Bellerose Village, N.J.) and junior guard Ryan Rozsnaki (Montreal, Quebec) each posted double-doubles and Assumption College's other three starters all scored in doubles as the ninth-seeded Greyhounds topped number eight Bentley University, 78-65, in the opening round of the Northeast-10 Conference Men's Basketball Playoffs Friday night at the Dana Center.

Beinert finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and Rozsnaki put up 11 points, ten boards and seven helpers for Assumption (14-13), which will play at top-seeded Franklin Pierce Sunday afternoon.

The Falcons, who finished their season at 15-12, had four double-figure scorers, including senior All-Conference guard Sam Leclerc (Fayette, Maine/Winthrop HS), who closed out his career with a game-high 18 points.,

Bentley only gave the ball away six times and capitalized on Assumption's 21 turnovers, turning those into a 26-7 advantage in points off.  However, the Falcons misfired on 12 of 21 free throws and were outrebounded by 29 (49-20)by a Greyhound team.

After four ties and four lead changes in the first eight-and-a-half minutes, Assumption took control with a run of 14 unanswered points over a span of 3:40 that turned a 14-all game into a 28-14 contest. During that stretch, Bentley missed nine consecutive shots.

Bentley finished the first half on a Leclerc-led 7-2 spurt, cutting the Greyhound lead to five at 39-34. The Hounds had ten more turnovers at the break, 12-2, but overcame that by shooting the ball at a 61 percent success rate.

Assumption opened the second by scoring the first seven points, a Beinert three-pointer following four from junior forward Ronson Quick (Marlton, N.J.), and the lead eventually grew as high as 13 (51-38 with 13:49 left).

The Falcons battled back, and after junior guard Greg Jacques (Brockton/St. Sebastian HS) scored on a driving lay-up with 7:30 left, the differential was down to six at 59-53.

The Hounds countered by scoring the next six points with Bentley stuck on 53 for more than three minutes. The Assumption advantage remained in double digits under Falcon freshman Andrew Shaw (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) sank his team's 12th three-ball of the night to pull the Falcons within nine at 74-65 with 42.1 seconds left.  However, the visitors locked up the win by making four of six free throws in the final 41 seconds.

Leclerc, who made four of eight three-pointers and also grabbed five rebounds, was followed in the scoring column by Jacques with 13. Grassa netted 11 points and Shaw finished his rookie season with 10.

Quick just missed giving Assumption a third double-double as he amassed 14 points and nine rebounds.

Assumption wound up with shooting percentages of 53 percent overall, 50 percent from three with nine triples, and 83 percent from the line. Conversely, the Falcon percentages were 36 from the floor, 39 from three and 43 from the line.

Bentley's 15-12 final record marked the program's 17th consecutive winning season. The Falcons will graduate two players, Leclerc and starting forward Kevin Kettl (Hershey, Pa./Hershey HS).