MEDFORD, MASS. – Rayshaw Matthews (Boston, Mass.) netted 11 points and added six rebounds as Salem State knocked off defending national champion Babson 75-70 in the championship game of the “New England Big Four Challenge” on Sunday afternoon at Cousens Gym. Matthews was named “Big Four” MVP after helping the Vikings to their first tournament title, which also features Babson, Tufts and Brandeis. The four teams have played regularly since 2009 as a way to honor and remember Michael Crotty Sr., Founder and Director of the Middlesex Magic AAU.
The first half was a tightly contested affair as the largest lead over the first twenty minutes was just four points following a basket by Drew Healy (Lowell, Mass.) that made the score 34-30 with 7:07 left. Healy again gave the Vikings a four-point advantage with a layup at the 4:59 mark, as Salem State (6-2) held a 39-35 lead. However, with Babson (4-4) in front 43-41, a Matthews steal led to a Shaquan Murray (Boston, Mass.) layup and the two teams headed into the locker room tied at 43. Murray and Healy each led the Vikings with 12 first half points as the two shot a combined 11-20 (55%) from the field. Healy also added six rebounds and along with Tyreik McCauley (Worcester, Mass.) – five rebounds and Matthews – four, helped Salem State control the glass with the Vikings holding a 26-10 rebounding advantage, including a decisive 12-1 margin on the offensive glass. Both teams shot 50% from the floor as Babson connected on 16-of-32 attempts while the Vikings countered by going 20-of-40 from the floor. Nick Comenale (New York Mills, N.Y.) topped the Beavers with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range.
Murray continued to dominate in the second half, scoring 14 points as Salem State continued to find success in the paint, with the Vikings outscoring Babson 40-30 down low. Alex Santos (Lawrence, Mass.) sparked the Vikings with seven second half points, and his jumper with 14:29 remaining gave Salem State a 55-49 advantage. Both teams cooled off offensively with neither team scoring for almost two minutes. A Bradley Jacks (Fort Washington, Md.) jumper broke the drought, but Matthews quickly answered with two free throws to keep Salem State in front by six points. The Vikings answered every challenge by the Beavers and quietly built an 11-point lead, 64-53 after a Murray free throw at the 8:05 mark.
A Murray three-pointer gave Salem State its largest lead, 70-56 with just over five and a half minutes remaining. Babson did not quit and ripped off a 10-0 run to trail by just four, 70-66 after a Comenale basket with 1:47 left. Comenale extended the run with two free throws and the Beavers were right back in the game, trailing 70-68 with :33 seconds remaining. However, three free throws gave Salem State a 73-70 advantage with less than twenty seconds remaining. Needing a three to tie, Comenale missed the mark withjust second left, and Sean Bryan (Lowell, Mass.) iced the game with two free throws, giving Salem State an exciting 75-70 win.
Murray topped all scorers with 26 points. Healy ended with 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds earning a spot on the all-tournament team. Bryan finished with nine points and six boards and McCauley eight and eight as Salem State ended the game 30-of-71 (42.3%) from the field, but just 5-of-21 (23.8%) from behind the arc. The Vikings held a 49-35 advantage on the boards.
Comenale had 20 points for Babson while Andrew Jaworski (Tolland, Conn.) added 15. Jacks had 13 points and 11 rebounds for Babson, which shot 27-64 (42.2%) for the game.
2017 New England Big Four All-Tournament Team:
MVP – Rayshaw Matthews, Salem State
Drew Healy, Salem State
Nick Comenale, Babson
Bradley Jacks, Babson
Vincent Pace, Tufts
Semih Say, Brandeis
