BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit men's basketball team hung right with the nationally-ranked CCRI Knights, but the visiting squad pulled away in the game's final minute to top the Warriors, 81-71, on Thursday night at the Pete.

Massasoit (10-10, 10-10 R21) trailed by just three at the half, 38-35, to the Knights (20-3, 17-2 R21), which recently cracked the top-10 in the NJCAA national poll this week.

In the second half, CCRI built up a lead as by as 18, as six of its first seven buckets of the stanza came from beyond the arc.

The Warriors hung around and cut the game to 73-64 off a Belezos' 3-pointer and pair of free throws by Mark Georges with 3:29 left in the game.

Massasoit then went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to four points, 75-71, with 1:09 left. But, a JC Santos runner and pair of free throws by Franklin Udeh gave the Knights the victory.

Gilbert Minaya (Lynn) and Georges (Brockton) paced Massasoit with 20 points each, with Belezos (Holbrook) right behind with 19 points, highlighted by five 3s. Darrell Knight (Weymouth) added nine in the loss.

CCRI was led by Santos' game-high 24 points, featuring six 3-pointers.

Massasoit treks to Holyoke on Saturday for a 1 PM start.