Almodovar Leads Men’s Basketball Past Fitchburg State, 77-68
Framingham, Mass. - Senior forward Josue Almodovar (Holyoke, Mass.) picked up his sixth double double of the season to lead the Framingham State College men's basketball team to a 77-68 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) win over Fitchburg State this afternoon at Framingham's Athletic Center.
With the win, the Rams improve to 9-8 on the season and 5-2 in conference which puts them in sole possession of second place in the conference standings. The Falcons drop to 6-13 overall and 2-5 in the MASCAC with the loss.
Leading 13-11 with 13:17 left in the first half, the Rams used a 13-0 run over the next three minutes to take control of the game and seize a 26-11 lead. Almodovar and Allen Saint-Surin (Brockton, Mass.) had four points apiece on the run and senior Billy Carey (Abington, Mass.) chipped in a three over that stretch.
The Rams then closed the half on a 13-6 run capped by another Carey three pointer just as time expired to take a 43-23 lead into the break.
Framingham State maintained their lead and extended it to as many as 24 with 11:04 remaining in the second half. The Falcons were able to chip away at the Rams lead and cut it to single digits on a jumper from senior center Timothy Graham (Arlington, Mass.) with 2:03 remaining.
Fitchburg State pulled within six at 72-66 on a Colin London (Worcester, Mass.) lay-up with 25 seconds remaining, but the Falcons would get no closer as the Rams hit 5-of-6 from the line to seal the win.
Almodovar was 7-of-11 from the floor for a game-high 18 points to go along with 14 rebounds, while Carey finished with 13 points including four-of-five from behind the arc. Royce Veal (Dorchester, Mass.), Darius Yarrell (Brockton, Mass.), Roderick Jackson (Cambridge, Mass.) and Saint-Surin chipped in eight points apiece.
Senior Brandon Edelstein (Upper Merion, Penn.) led the Falcons with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Graham finished with 12. London chipped in with 10 points and seven assists.
The Rams return to action on Tuesday as they host MASCAC rival Bridgewater State at 7:30 p.m., while the Falcons host Newbury College on Tuesday also at 7:30 p.m.