NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University freshman guard Trey Scales (Boston, Mass.) came off the bench to lead all scorers with his career-high 17 points as the Seahawks won their second The Commonwealth Coast Conference game of the season with a 73-67 victory over Roger Williams University in men's basketball.
In the first half alone, the score was tied four times and the lead changed nine times. A jumper by Scales with 4:55 left in the first period gave Salve Regina a 26-25 advantage and the Seahawks would never relinquish the lead after that.
Sophomore guard Neil Manaskie (Willington, Conn.) also came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points. His first field goal of the game came on a fast-break 3-pointer when point guard Ryan Birrell (Hope, R.I.) found him in the corner to put the Seahawks up 29-25. Birrell finished with 10 points, four assists, and three steals.
A 3-pointer from freshman forward Mike Igoe (Lexington, Mass.) pulled the Hawks within one, 29-28, but Seahawk sophomore forward Andrew Knight (Danvers, Mass.) put a Scales miss back in with a tip and Salve Regina would finish the half on a 7-0 run. Junior forward Dan Royce (Mahwah, N.J.) nearly compiled a double-double in the first stanza, pulling down 11 rebounds and scoring nine points before suffering an injury while chasing a missed free throw with 2:41 on the clock.
Early in the second half, junior forward Tom Rafael (Ladera Ranch, Calif.) hit two 3-pointers to bring the visitors within two (40-38). Salve Regina (3-17; 2-6 TCCC) went on a 20-7 run and enjoyed its largest lead (15 points) when Scales hit a step-back 3-pointer just under the nine-minute mark.
Royce returned and added a layup for a 62-47 Seahawk advantage. He finished with 12 points and 14 boards.
Roger Williams (11-9; 3-5 TCCC) started to go to sophomore center Pat Flanagan (Somerville, Mass.) who converted some layups, short jumpers and free throws for 11 points in the second half. He finished as the Hawks' leading scorer with 15 points. Juniors Taylor Petruccelli (Stratford, Conn.) and Corey Fava (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) also scored in double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Freshman guard Tyler Sienkiewicz (Cranston, R.I.) equaled his career-high with eight points while finishing the game with a pair of free throws for Salve Regina. His dad, Tom Sienkiewicz, is the former head coach of the Hawks. Salve Regina improves to 31-23 in its all-time series with Roger Williams.
The Seahawks travel to Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., on Saturday, while the Hawks host University of New England.
- Release courtesy of the Salve Regina University Sports Information Department
