Men’s Hoops Gets Postseason Rematch With Bunker Hill

#3 Rollsky Edouard
#3 Rollsky Edouard

BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit men's basketball team will get another crack at the Bunker Hill Bulldogs this season, as the two squads will face for the fourth time in 2017-18 and the second time in as many weekends. The two teams will meet in the NJCAA Region 21 Tournament Semifinals on Saturday at 6 PM, hosted by Bunker Hill.

Tournament Schedule
Saturday, March 3 – Semifinals
G1: (1) Bristol vs (4) Northern Essex – 4 PM
G2: (2) Massasoit vs (3) Bunker Hill – 6 PM

Sunday, March 4 – Finals
G3: G1 Winner vs G2 Winner – 2 PM

MASSASOIT
Massasoit boasts a record of 18-6 (18-5 R21) on the season and in search of its first Region 21 Championship since the 2010-11 season. Two seasons ago, the Warriors transitioned into the NJCAA Division III, having made the postseason both years.

The Warriors put together two impressive winning streaks during the 2017-18 campaign, posting a 7-game streak in the first semester, followed by a 9-game streak that was halted by Bunker Hill in the MCCAC Semifinals last Saturday.

The Massasoit defense will be key against Bunker Hill, as the Warriors have allowed only 67 points per game and rank first in the conference in opponents' field goal (37.8) an 3-point (29.2) percentages.

Offensively, Rael Handy tops the team in scoring (18.7), followed by Mark Georges (15.7), Mark Munroe (12.1) and Rollsky Edouard (11.6).

Munroe pulls down 11.2 boards per game, Handy averages 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists and Georges tallies 2.3 steals per contest for the season.

BUNKER HILL
The Bulldogs (20-11, 17-6 R21) advanced to the Region 21 Semifinals after defeating Springfield Tech 64-51 in the a tournament play-in game on Wednesday night.

BHCC topped the Warriors last weekend, 72-65, before narrowly falling in the MCCAC Finals to Bristol 67-66 in Springfield.

Another team that prides itself on defense, Bunker Hill allows a league-low 66.4 points per game, and has held opponents under 70 points in eight of its last nine games.

Jamaurie Coakley tops the Bulldogs in scoring (18.1) and eight additional players average between 4.6 and 9.5 points per game for BHCC. After only scoring four points in the first meeting, Coakley is averaging 22.5 ppg against the Warriors over the last two matchups.

MATCHUP
Saturday marks the fourth postseason matchup in the last two seasons between the Warriors and Bulldogs, with BHCC winning the previous three meetings.

In 2016-17 both teams met in the MCCAC and Region 21 Semifinals, with the Bulldogs prevailing both times. The regional tourney loss came at Massasoit, 71-60, ending the season for the Warriors.

This season, Massasoit and Bunker Hill split their regular season two-game series, with each team winning on its own court before BHCC claimed the MCCAC semifinal contest last Saturday.