Men’s Basketball Opens Spring Semester Riding Four Game Win Streak

#12 Paul Bentley
#12 Paul Bentley

BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit men's basketball team returns to the hardwood on Thursday night, hitting the road to face Bristol CC at 7 p.m.

Massasoit (7-5) closed out the fall semester on fire, winning its last four contests.

Leland Jackson (Atlanta, Ga.) leads three starters who average double figures, pouring in 23 points per game. Joining Jackson in double digits, includes Colin Campbell of Holbrook (18.9) and Myles Dias of Carver (10.0). As a team, the Warriors are averaging 78.8 points per game and yielding 78.2.

Bristol (6-6) fell in its final game of the fall, losing to Holyoke CC 108-101 in a high-scoring affair.

Jerell Gomes is the top scorer for the Bayhawks (23 ppg), while Josh Nelson, Armani Baker and Ryan Carter all score more than 10 per game. Bristol is netting 84.1 per game, but allowing 84.8 on average.

FOUR IN A ROW: During Massasoit's four-game win streak, the Warriors have been successful both offensively and defensively. Over that stretch, Massasoit is outscoring the opposition 85.5 to 70.5 (+15) and eclipsed the 90-point mark twice.

LELAND LEADS: Leland Jackson has been a prolific scorer for the Warriors during his sophomore season, averaging 23 points per game. After not scoring in the first game of the season, Jackson has gone on to score 20 or more points in nine of the 10 games he has played, including two 30-plus point outings. He closed out the fall semester with a career-high 35 points against Great Bay CC, including a career-best five 3-pointers.

DIAS DIALS IT UP: Sophomore Myles Dias has really dialed it up in the scoring department recently for the Warriors. The Colby-Sawyer College transfer has reached double figures in four of the last six games to up his season average to 10.0 points per contest. Dias' finest performance came in a 27-point effort, in which the guard shot 10 of 14 from the field (4-of-7 on 3-pointers) in a victory vs. MassBay CC.

BENTLEY ON CRUISE CONTROL: Freshman Paul Bentley (Bloomfield, Conn.) has been on cruise control as of late. After averaging just 5.2 points over the first five games, Bentley has poured in 13 per game over the last six contests for the Warriors and averaging 16 over the last three.

LAST MEETING: Bristol 75, Massasoit 67 – Brockton, Mass. (12/3/15)
Massasoit overcame a double-digit second half deficit to pull within a single possession, but came up short falling to Bristol 75-67.

Bristol's Jerell Gomes led all scorers with 24 points, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and pulled down 10 boards for a double-double.

Four players reached double figures for the Warriors, led by Colin Campbell's 15.

Bristol shot 54.9 percent from the floor compared to 32.4 percent shooting by Massasoit for the contest.

NEXT GAME: Following the Bristol game, the Warriors are off until Tuesday, when the host divisional rival CCRI at 7 p.m.