Seahawks win overtime thriller on opening night

NEWPORT, R.I. - Junior Isiah Pringle (Queens, N.Y.) hit 10-of-18 shots from the field to lead all players with 24 points, sparking the Salve Regina men's basketball team to a 79-75 overtime victory on opening night versus Johnson & Wales at the Rodgers Recreation Center.

Pringle added two assists, three treys, and a pair of steals, while classmate Joshua Hohlfelder (Noank, Conn.) drained 7-of-9 from the field for 17 points and four rebounds. Junior Jeff Bielefeld (Littleton, Mass.) notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards, while senior William Smiley (Saunderstown, R.I.) also finished in double figures, scoring 10 points while adding five rebounds, three steals, and two assists in the win.

The Wildcats were led by freshman Quarry Greenway (Westchester, N.Y.) who stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks. Junior Curtis Lucas (Providence, R.I.) and freshman Tom Garrick, Jr. (Seekonk, Mass.) each dropped 15 points, while sophomore Frank Robinson (Providence, R.I.) finished with 12 points, six boards, four assists, and a pair of steals.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle which included three ties and nine lead changes.

The Seahawks jumped out to a 13-7 lead, receiving seven points from Pringle and four points from Hohlefelder in the early going. 

The Wildcats quickly tied the score with a layup from Greenway and a three by Curtis on their next two possessions.

With the Seahawks clinging to a one-point lead at 23-22, the Wildcats responded with an 8-0 run, receiving a layup by junior Esaie Touze (Providence, R.I.) and six straight points by Greenway to take the biggest lead of the night for either side at 30-23 with just under two and a half minutes remaining in the opening half.

The Wildcats held their seven-point lead with under a minute to go in the period, when Pringle drained a pair of threes to cut the JWU lead to 30-29. 

The Wildcats closed out the half with a layup at the buzzer by Robinson to head into the locker room holding a 32-29 edge.

After the Wildcats got the first basket of the second half on a layup by Touze, the Seahawks scored five straight points, as Smiley completed a three-point play the old fashioned way and Pringle nailed a jumper to tie the game at 34-all.

The Seahawks trailed by three with under 15 minutes remaining when they scored six consecutive points with three layups on three straight possessions, including baskets by Smiley, Pringle, and Hohlfelder to take their first lead of the half, 46-43.

After Robinson scored for the Wildcats, the Seahawks went right back to Hohlfelder on their next two trips down court, as the big junior drained a three and then finished a layup off a nice feed from Bielefeld to put SRU on top 51-45 with just under 11:30 left to play in the half.

The Seahawks still claimed a six-point advantage with under three minutes to go in the period, when the Wildcats stormed back to score the final six points of the period, including a layup and a huge three by Garrick, Jr. to send the game into overtime.

Johnson & Wales took a 71-68 lead to start overtime, and it appeared the Seahawks were in trouble when Pringle had to limp off the court with an ankle injury with 2:30 left to play.

However, the Seahawks responded by scoring on each of their next four trips down court, including a pair of layups by junior Patrick Dineen (Medfield, Mass.), and baskets by both Bielefeld and freshman Doug Henton (New London, Conn.) to reclaim a 76-71 lead with just under 30 seconds left on the clock.

The Wildcats closed the gap to 77-75 with under 10 ticks remaining, but sophomore Branden Canova (Edina, Minn.) stepped to the line and drained a pair of clutch free throws to seal the 79-75 victory for Salve Regina.

The Wildcats (0-1) with return to the court on Tuesday, traveling to face Roger Williams at 8 p.m., while the Seahawks (1-0) will be back in action this Saturday and Sunday as they hit the road to compete in the Babson Invitational.