Mitchell likes where it stands
Mariners remain atop NECC standings on day when Stokes hits 1,000
— Mitchell College's perch atop the New England Collegiate Conference, what with its three men's basketball league championships in the last nine years, doesn't qualify as anything stunning. But this season has perhaps even more promise, particularly after Saturday afternoon's developments.
In no particular order, the Mariners (15-3, 3-0) moved into sole possession of first place, won the rematch of last season's tournament title game, shot
62 percent from the field, watched happily as a player (Wilton Causey) set a career high in points and celebrated with senior Alfonzo Stokes, who eclipsed 1,000 career points during a 98-84 win over second-place Eastern Nazarene.
“Not that we can't win on the road, but we'd really like to get the No. 1 seed (in the conference tournament),” said Mitchell coach Todd Peretz, whose team is undefeated at home this season. “Halfway through conference play, that's where we are.”
Indeed. And they've arrived there with any number of contributions from a deep roster. Causey, a transfer from Nichols College, finished Saturday with 30 points and seven rebounds on 15 of 18 shooting.
“We actually recruited Wilton when he was at St. Thomas More,” Peretz said. “I couldn't be happier for him. Just a nice, soft spoken, unassuming kid.”
The Mariners led by 15 in the first half but found themselves down three early in the second half. The deficit didn't last long, thanks to Causey, Dontae Pollard (18 points), Stokes (17 points), Mikey Buscetto (12 points, 13 assists) and Jalen Benson (11 points, six assists).
Stokes, who needed 14 points entering the game, scored his 1,000th with 2:37 remaining and the game in hand. He became the sixth player in program history to score 1,000, joining Eric Murray (2010), Josh Ford (2015), Parris Hill (2016), Dom Santiago (2019) and Hasani Williams (2020).
“Alfonzo is a kid who really works at the game,” Peretz said. “The other day, he was in here and got up 700 shots on the shooting machine. He was here at 9 this morning. He really competes.”
Mitchell, which owns impressive nonconference wins over Albertus Magnus and Trinity, may be in line for a better seed if it qualifies for the NCAA Division III Tournament. Last season, the Mariners may have been the last overall team seeded in the field, losing in the first round to eventual national champion Randolph Macon.
“We’ve got to win the conference tournament. We won’t get an at-large bid,” Peretz said. “But we are ranked in our region and I’d like to think we wouldn’t get the 64th spot if we are fortunate enough to win.”