BIDDEFORD — Down by one at halftime, University of New England men's basketball coach Jason Mulligan felt just fine.
"Guys, this is our game," he told his team. "We're going to make our run."
And they did.
The Nor'easters flew past Colby-Sawyer 90-79 Saturday night to win the Commonwealth Coast Conference men's basketball championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament, the Nor'easters' first.
Guard Quentin Thompson led top-seeded UNE (24-4) with 20 points, but it was 6-foot-4 forward Johnnie Johnson who sparked his team with 16 of his 18 points in the second half, including four 3-pointers.
"In the second half, I had to knock down shots," Jefferson said. "That fires up the team."
The Nor'easters hit 13 of 26 3-pointers, 7 of 11 in the second half. Steve Belmonte (16 points) also had four 3-pointers to go with seven assists.
"They shot the ball exceedingly well in the second half," Colby-Sawyer Coach Bill Foti said.
Jaykyri Simpson added 15 points and nine rebounds for UNE.
Neither team kept the lead for more than four minutes in the first half, and the biggest advantage was four points. There were eight ties and 14 lead changes.
UNE had both Thompson and Anthony Johnson in foul trouble with three each. But Jon Chaloux, the top scorer for second-seeded Colby-Sawyer (20-7), also had three fouls.
Ryan Murray's free throw with 5 seconds left in the half gave the Chargers a 49-48 halftime lead, but Jefferson started the second half with the first of his 3-pointers as UNE went up 51-49 and never trailed again.
The Chargers tied it at 51, but UNE got 3-pointers by Belmonte and Jefferson and a layup by Thompson to lead 59-51 with 15:57 to play.
"We've come to rely on that run (in the second half)," Mulligan said.
Two things hurt Colby-Sawyer in the second half. Chaloux (15 points) picked up his fourth foul quickly, and point guard Matt Lemieux ("the one guy we can't lose," Foti said) left with a leg injury.
Lemieux returned with eight minutes left but was limping. He still contributed 13 points and six assists.
The Chargers closed within five a couple of times, but UNE kept pulling away.
Down 78-73, Colby-Sawyer stepped up its pressure. The Nor'easters continued to move the ball and Thompson found Marchale Robinson for a 3-pointer for an 81-73 lead with 2:16 remaining.
Colby-Sawyer was forced to commit fouls, and the Nor'easters made seven of their last nine points from the free-throw line.
Colby-Sawyer had five players in double figures, including freshman Will Bardaglio (14) from Wayne (Maranacook High) and senior Andrew Cousins (10) of South Portland. Center Duncan Szeliga led the Chargers with 18.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:
kthomas@pressherald.com
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