For Immediate Release:

March 6, 2016

Contact: Ryan Emerson, Sports Information Director remerson@colby-

sawyer.edu

MENS BASKETBALL
Nichols Captures ECAC Championship over Anna Maria
NEW LONDON, N.H. March 6, 2016 The Nichols College mens basketball
team defeated Anna Maria, 105-96 to claim the 2016 Eastern College Athletic
Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Basketball Championship at ColbySawyer on Sunday afternoon.
Nichols College ends its season at 25-4, while Anna Maria finishes at 15-13.
Tournament Most Outstanding Player was junior Devin Stallings (Waterbury, Conn.)
of Nichols College who combined for 40 points, 16 rebounds, six blocks and shot 1832 to lead the Bison to wins in the semifinals and finals.
The five Nichols starters reached double figures for the second straight game and
were led by the teams lone senior Gustave Koumare (Harlem, N.Y.). He was 10-of16 for 28 points. Junior Irving Eggleston (East Lyme, Conn.) was 9-of-15 for 25 points
and four steals. Stallings scored 16 points on 8-of-12 and added six boards.
Freshman Marcos Echevarria (Lynn, Mass.) collected 14 points, four steals and a
game best eight assists. Junior Christian Horton (Rutland, Mass.) added 12 points.
Anna Maria was led by senior Pat Bradaneses (Billerica, Mass.) 33 points. He was
10-of-19 from the floor and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc to go along with a team
best six assists. Senior Pedro Trindade (Billerica, Mass.) had a double-double of 15
points and 11 rebounds. Senior Tyler Delorey (Worcester, Mass.) chipped in 14
points, while graduate student Corey Pryor (Northbridge, Mass.) had 11.
The first half featured five ties but just one lead change which occurred in the first
1:13 of the game. After a Kyle McKissick layup opened the game for the AMCATS,
Nichols rattled off six straight points to take the lead that they would not relinquish
for the remainder of the half. Anna Maria kept the game close and tied the contest
multiple times throughout the frame until the Bison used a 12-2 run to take a 42-42
lead capped by an emphatic two-handed slam from Devin Stallings. Trailing by
seven with 1:27 to play in the frame, Anna Maria received a three-point play from
Patrick Bradanese to cut the halftime deficit to 47-43.

Nichols progressively widened its half time lead to an eventual game-high of 23

points, 86-63, after a Stallings layup with seven minutes to play. Anna Maria did not
give up and battled back with a 20-5 run over a two and a half minute stretch
including six three-pointers and 14 points from Bradanese. The Bison responded
though and put the game away by hitting numerous free throws in the final two
minutes.
Anna Maria won the battle of the boards 52-32, while Nichols turned 22 Anna Maria
miscues into 42 points.
First Round Wednesday, March 2
#5 Pine Manor def. #4 Elms - 127-124 - 2OT

Semifinals Saturday, March 5

Semifinal #1: No. 1 Nichols def. No. 5 Pine Manor, 102-80
Semifinal #2: No. 3 Anna Maria def. No. 2 Colby-Sawyer, 99-90

Championship Sunday, March 6 at Colby-Sawyer

#1 Nichols College def. #3 Anna Maria, 105-96
Most Outstanding Player Devin Stallings, Nichols College