Scales tips the score in Salve Regina's favor: 73-67

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University freshman guard Trey Scales [Boston, Mass.] came off the bench to lead all scorers with his career-high 17 points as the Seahawks won their second The Commonwealth Coast Conference game of the season with a 73-67 victory over Roger Williams University in men's basketball.

In the first half alone, the score was tied four times and the lead changed nine times. A jumper by Scales with 4:55 left in the first period gave Salve Regina a 26-25 advantage and the Seahawks would never relinquish the lead after that.

Sophomore guard Neil Manaskie [Willington, Conn.] also came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points. His first field goal of the game came on a fast-break 3-pointer when point guard Ryan Birrell [Hope, R.I.] found him in the corner to put the Seahawks up 29-25. Birrell finished with 10 points, four assists, and three steals.

A 3-pointer from freshman forward Mike Igoe [Lexington, Mass.] pulled the Hawks within one, 29-28, but Seahawk sophomore forward Andrew Knight [Danvers, Mass.] put a Scales miss back in with a tip and Salve Regina would finish the half on a 7-0 run. Junior forward Dan Royce [Mahwah, N.J.] nearly compiled a double-double in the first stanza, pulling down 11 rebounds and scoring nine points before suffering an injury while chasing a missed free throw with 2:41 on the clock.

Early in the second half, junior forward Tom Rafael [Ladera Ranch, Calif.] hit two 3-pointers to bring the visitors within two (40-38). Salve Regina (3-17; 2-6 TCCC) went on a 20-7 run and enjoyed its largest lead (15 points) when Scales hit a step-back 3-pointer just under the nine-minute mark.

Royce returned and added a layup for a 62-47 Seahawk advantage. He finished with 12 points and 14 boards.

Roger Williams (11-9; 3-5 TCCC) started to go to 6'9" sophomore center Pat Flanagan [Somerville, Mass.] who converted some layups, short jumpers and free throws for 11 points in the second half. He finished as the Hawks' leading scorer with 15 points. Juniors Taylor Petruccelli [Stratford, Conn.] and Corey Fava [Aliso Viejo, Calif.] also scored in double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Freshman guard Tyler Sienkiewicz [Cranston, R.I.] equaled his career-high with eight points while finishing the game with a pair of free throws for Salve Regina. His dad, Tom Sienkiewicz, is the former head coach of the Hawks. Salve Regina improves to 31-23 in its all-time series with Roger Williams.

The Seahawks travel to Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., on Saturday, while the Hawks host University of New England.