The Suffolk men’s basketball team continued their strong start to the season this weekend, trading wins with Endicott on Saturday and Sunday.
After sweeping the home and home series against four-time defending conference champions Nichols last weekend, the Rams looked to carry that momentum against another solid team: Endicott.
The Saturday matchup took place on Suffolk’s own Smith Court. After going back and forth for the first few minutes of the game, the Rams went on a run that established a lead that remained for the rest of the first half. With senior and captain Alex Jacovides dominating with 19 first half points, the Rams’ lead stretched to 42-25 at one point.
In the final five minutes of the first half, Endicott made a run of their own to cut their deficit to six points, going into halftime down 46-40. This momentum carried into the second half, where they eventually built an eight point lead with nine and a half minutes left in the game.
With Endicott in the lead, Suffolk never let the game get out of reach. They kept pace with the Gulls and were eventually able to retake the lead, which they never gave back. Suffolk won the first meeting 95-84, improving their record to 3-0 so far this season.
Jacovides was the Rams’ star of the game, amassing 34 points and eight rebounds, leading the team in both categories.
Suffolk didn’t have much time to rest, as they traveled to Beverly to take on the Gulls again on Sunday.
“We’re gonna rely on our athletic trainer and his treatment to make sure that our guys that logged heavy minutes get rest and get treatment,” said head coach Jeff Juron about the quick turnaround. “They’re two really competitive teams, and it’s gonna be a really good one tomorrow.”
Sunday’s game turned out to be the opposite of the contest on Saturday. This time it was Endicott who built a first half lead, and Suffolk had to make up ground by the end of the half. Endicott led the Rams 48-42 at halftime.
With 13:40 left in the game, Suffolk finally took the lead and built it to 13 points with eight minutes to go, before Endicott flipped the switch. Just as the Rams had done to them yesterday, the Gulls chipped that lead away and went on to win the game 95-91.
“I think we had confidence in that last 10 minute stretch,” senior and captain Brendan Mulson said about their second half. “Endicott, got to give them credit, hit a bunch of good shots, and I think if the ball bounced the other way a few times like it did on Saturday, we would’ve had that game.”
The big difference in this game was Endicott’s ability to shoot the three, as they shot 53.3% from beyond the arc.
Suffolk might have fallen to 3-1 with the loss, but there was still a lot to like about their overall performance on the weekend. Mulson specifically mentioned the team’s turnover rate.
“Our turnover percentage has been really low,” he said. “We’re pretty good at keeping the ball out of the other team’s hands unless it’s a missed shot from us, and that’s what we aim to do because any time you turn the ball over, the other team is gonna be out on the break and it’s going to be a lot easier for them to score.”
Next week the Rams will have a home and home series with Curry College. The first tilt with the Colonels will be on Friday at 6 p.m. in Milton, while their home game will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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