SMCC defeats NHTI to advance to semi-finals

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AUBURN, Maine - Fifth-seeded NHTI battled back from a 17-point half-time deficit but Southern Maine Community College held on for the 97-83 victory Friday evening in the first round of the Yankee Small College Conference Elite Eight Tournament hosted by Central Maine Community College. The fourth-seeded Seawolves shot an impressive 50.7% from the field in the win and move on the play the the winner of the CMCC vs. Vermont Technical College game Saturday afternoon at 6:00 p.m. 

SMCC was led by John Morgan (Sanford, Maine) who scored a team-high 22 points. Matt Talbot (Portland, Maine) turned in a double-double performance with 19 points and 13 rebounds to go along with six assists and four blocks. Jordan DeRosby (Waterville, Maine) scored 17 points while Grayson Waterman (Berwick, Maine) and Matthew Jarrett (Norwalk, Conn.) scored 12 and 13 points, respectively. Dylan Silvestri (Pelham, N.H.) grabbed 11 boards for SMCC. 

The Seawolves jumped out to a quick offensive start, shooting 51.3% from the field in the first half led by 11 points Waterman and 10 points Talbot (Portland, Maine). Dayvon Russell (Naugatuck, Conn.) was the lone NHTI player in double-digits in the opening half for the Lynx, scoring 11 points on 4-9 from the field as his team shot 37.1% Russell exploded for 20 points in the second half though, on his way to a game-high 31 points. 

NHTI trailed by as few as four points with 10:34 remaining in the second half, closing the gap on a Russell three-pointer, but the Seawolves answered with four quick points from Waterman, Talbot and  DeRosby to extend the lead back to eight points. 

Jared Stauffeneker (New Ipswich, N.H.) and Jerome Wooten (Gray, Ga.) were also in double-digits with 17 and 15 points each. Stauffeneker was netted five three-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds while recording seven assists in the effort while Wooten also caused four steals on the day.