Figueroa Selected to All-Tournament Team as Men's Basketball Falls to UMass Boston
Boston, Mass. – Senior guard Isaac Jenkins (Pordenone, Italy) scored a career-best 33 points to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston men's basketball (1-3) to their first win of the season 74-70 over Framingham State University (3-4) in the consolation game of the 27th Annual UMass Boston Harbor Invitational, Saturday afternoon in the Clark Athletic Center.
Jenkins' performance earned him a spot on the Harbor Invitational All-Tournament team as he connect on 12-of-18 from the field, which included two 3-pointers, and 7-of-9 shooting at the charity strip. He was also solid on the glass pulling down 10 boards, seven of which were on the offensive glass.
Along with Jenkins, three other Beacons recorded 10 points in Saturday's win. From the starting five Cody Edmond (Plaquemine, La.) and Vinny DeLucia (Miami, Fl.) were each 3-of-10 from the floor. DeLucia knocked down one 3-pointer and was 3-for-4 at the line. Edmond was 4-of-5 at the line and also managed six boards. Off the bench Dontreal Thomas (New Orleans, La.) recorded his 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Framingham State was led by All-Tournament selection sophomore forward Tyrone Figueroa (Revere, Mass.) who had 15 points in the game. Figueroa connected on 3-of-7 from the floor in the game and 9-of-11 from the line. Senior guard Marcus McLaurin (Braintree, Mass.) posted 17 points, and classmate Allen Saint-Surin (Brockton, Mass.) chipped in 13 on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor, followed by sophomore Yemi Ajoa (Randolph, Mass.) who had 12 points on 4-of-4 from the field and 4-of-5 from the line.
As a team, the Beacons controlled the glass on both sides of the court as they out rebounded their opponents 40-29. The Beacons shot 44.1% from the floor as a unit (26-for-59) and held Framingham St. to 37.5% from the floor and 2-of-16 from behind the arc.
With 2:40 left on the clock, Framingham jumped out to a 70-68 lead following a jumper from freshman guard Robert Jones (Cohasset, Mass.). Seconds later, DeLucia tied the game for the 12th time on his jumper to make 70 all.
On Framingham's next possession, they would go for the three, but would come up short. Jenkins picked-up the defensive board, but a turnover by UMass would give the Rams the ball back with 1:43 left in the game.
On that very next possession, the Rams would drive to the hole, but would miss the lay-up, with Brian Clarke (Miramar, Fl.) pulling down the defensive rebound for UMass Boston. Clarke would then move up the court and try for a lay-up of his own that just missed. Jenkins was there to grab the offensive board, and score the put-back to make it 72-70 with 57 seconds left on the clock.
Framingham's next possession would be stopped by an offensive foul with just 46 seconds on the clock. UMass Boston would lose the ball with just 11 seconds left in the game on a shot clock violation, giving the Rams one last shot at either the tie or the win.
The Rams inbounded the ball and moved up the court quickly, where McLaurin pulled up to shoot what could have been the game-winning 3-pointer. McLaurin's shot would hit the front of the rim and land in the hands of Clarke, who then threw it down court to Yusuke Fukata (Osaka, Japan) who scored the uncontested lay-up securing the Beacons win.
Combined Saturday's game saw a total of 12 lead changes with the score being tied 12 times as well. UMass Boston controlled a majority of the first half, and despite a late push by the Rams, went into the locker room with a three point lead (39-36).
After the break, was when things got interesting, with both teams exchanging control of the scoreboard. The largest lead of the half would belong to Framingham State as they made it a six point game with 10:48 left (57-51).
UMass Boston would pull out the late rally behind Jenkins, who in the final 20 minutes of play accounted for 17 of the team's 35 points.
In the championship game, Trinity College (Conn.) defeated Wheelock College by the final score of 64-47 to take their second consecutive tournament title. Also being named to the All-Tournament team were Bashir Hudson and Kyle Pierce from Wheelock, and Eric Dean from Trinity. Varun Ram of Trinity was named the tournament MVP and the John "Bill" Shay Award recipient for his on-court play and sportsmanship.
UMass Boston returns to action on Thursday when they travel to Suffolk University for a 7 p.m. non-conference game, while the Rams travel to Wesleyan on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Release courtesy of UMB Sports Information.