Bentley Ending Perfect
Falcons go 26-0 in regular season
By Craig Larson, Globe Staff
WORCESTER -- The perfect run tapped off in mid-November with a
16-point victory against Adelphi in Garden City, N.Y.
Last night, Bentley put the finishing touch on the best regular
season in the program's rich 44-year history -- and the annals of
New England Division 2 men's basketball -- with an 82-71
Northeast-10 Conference victory over Assumption before a charged-up
crowd of 1,043 at Laska Gymnasium.
Junior forward Nate Fritsch, one of four double-figure scorers,
paced the second-ranked Falcons with a game-high 21 points (along
with 7 rebounds), and junior Yusuf Abdul-Ali (14 points, 6 assists)
ran the point with efficiency and poise.
Twenty-six games, 26 victories.
"This is certainly unbelievable," said 16th-year coach Jay Lawson,
whose squad went 22-0 in the Northeast-10, considered one of the
most challenging Division 2 conferences in the country. Winona
State (25-0) is the only other unbeaten team in college
basketball.
At game's end, Lawson finally cracked a slight smile, but only
after he received a congratulatory handshake from Assumption coach
Serge DeBari.
"Every year you face adversity," said Lawson. "Two years ago, we
went 20-2 in the conference and we lost two games at the
buzzer.
"I just told the team in the locker room that what they
accomplished was incredible. This might never be accomplished again
in their lifetime. The focus has always been on the next game. With
one game left, you start thinking that [26-0] was possible."
Throughout the season, Bentley's sterling play has been defined by
unselfishness, grit, leadership -- from five seniors and one
redshirt junior -- and determination.
Last night was no different. The Falcons matched Assumption's
physicality from start to finish and shared the ball from the
opening tap.
The Falcons went long-distance in the first 20 minutes, draining
nine of their 17 3-point attempts to shoot out to a 16-point
cushion, 45-29. Andy Smith (10 points), a 6-foot-6-inch senior,
buried three 3s in the first 20 minutes.
Assumption (11-16, 9-13 NE-10) never cut the margin under double
figures in the second half.
Senior forward Jeff Holmes, who chipped in with 11 points, said,
"We've been able to bring the same focus every game, be consistent,
and be tough."
No Bentley player is among the conference's top 20 scorers or top
10 rebounders.
"But teamwise, we are off the charts," said Lawson. "We've been
very consistent because of our defense and rebounding."
Bentley, the top seed for next week's conference tournament, will
host Saturday's Franklin Pierce-Saint Anselm winner in a
quarterfinal Monday night.
