Miersma puts back miss for Gordon victory

NEWPORT, R.I. - Junior Isiah Pringle (Queens, N.Y.) scored a game-high 21 points for Salve Regina University men's basketball, but it was 6-foot-9 freshman Hans Miersma (Whitinsville, Mass.) getting an offensive rebound and put back for the game-winner as Gordon College won the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) battle, 64-62.

The game featured nine ties and eight lead changes.

Trailing by 11 points (60-49) with under six minutes remaining in the second half, Salve Regina (7-6; 3-3 CCC) went on a 13-2 run to tie the score at 62-all with 37 seconds to go.

Pringle started the rally with a floating jumper at 5:17. After a Gordon timeout, Pringle stole the ball at midcourt and converted the theft into two points with a layup.

Junior guard Park Thomas (Scottsdale, Ariz.) made the front end of a one-and-one free-throw situation before Seahawk junior Jeff Bielefeld (Littleton, Mass.) grabbed the miss off the boards. Two free throws from junior Patrick Dinneen (Medfield, Mass.) had the Seahawks closing within six points (61-55) with 4:15 left.

Thomas again made the first of two free-throw attempts and Bielefeld once again muscled into position for the carom. Pringle swished a pair from the charity stripe to draw within five (62-57) before Gordon (9-5; 4-3 CCC) misfired on two shot attempts its ensuing possession. Bielefeld again grabbed the defensive rebound.

At 3:04, sophomore Brendan Canova (Edina, Minn.) snaked his way into the lane for a twisting layup, pulling the Seahawks within three (62-59). Bielefeld sank the first of two free throws at 1:45 and Dinneen grabbed the offensive rebound. He missed the layup with Miersma securing the ball off the defensive glass.

Gordon had two missed layups on its next possession with the clock dipping under one minute to play before Bielefeld grabbed his 12th rebound of the game. Dinneen went to the line with 37 seconds to play and a chance to tie the game with a pair of free throws. He sank them both.

The left-handed David Dempsey (Wallingford, Conn.) drove the lane for Gordon with under 10 ticks left on the clock. His layup caromed off the glass and came down on the right side of the rim, getting touched by players in both white and blue jerseys before Miersma snared it. Without hesitation, the tallest player on the court went up with the game-winner while getting fouled.

Miersma's subsequent missed free throw was rebounded by Bielefeld who hurried the ball to Dinneen. Dinneen was unable to get a desperation 3-pointer off before time expired.

With a 13-5 run in the first half including a 3-pointer and layup from senior William Smiley (Saunderstown, R.I.), Salve Regina led by as many as eight (32-24). Gordon's Luke Hamilton (Mount Airy, N.C.) scored the last basket of the first half and the first basket of the second, a 3-pointer, to start a 31-12 run for the visitors. During that run the game was tied four different times.

Bielefeld finished with 13 rebounds as Salve Regina edged Gordon on the boards (41-to-40). Gordon entered the game ranked first in the league in rebound margin (+10.5). Dempsey had a team-high 14 points for the Scots who also got 13 from Miersma and 11 from Thomas.

Salve Regina plays at Wentworth on Tuesday while Gordon hosts its nearby rival, Endicott, the same night.