Eastern Nazarene College Athletics Men's Basketball

February 26, 2008. Quincy, Mass.-ENC's Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass./Archbishop Williams HS) was selected to the 2007-2008 All-TCCC Honorable Mention Team by the coaches of The Commonwealth Coast Conference today. In the TCCC, Marcellus finished tied for 12th in scoring averaging 14.9 pts/game, 1st in rebounding with 11 rebs/game and 15th in steals averaging 1.31 steals/game.

Marcellus, a Business Management major, finished his career with his best season to date. JP recorded 12 double-doubles this season while averaging a double-double (14.0 points and 10.6 rebounds) shooting 45.6% from the field, leading the team in steals with 31 and minutes played, averaging 30.8 min/game.

Quincy, MA Nov. 27, 2007 — Despite an untimely injury, senior Luc Jasmin (08) earned his 1,000th point as a Crusader on February 16^th, 2008.

The point came while the Eastern Nazarene College men’s basketball team was trailing 48-35 with 3:15 remaining in the first half. An offensive rebound and its ensuing lay-up gave ENC co-captain Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI/Tolman HS) his fourth point of the February 16 game against Nichols College (Dudley, Mass.), and the 1,000th of his career as a Crusader basketball player.

“After Luc hit the 1,000-point mark, we talked about how this was also a team achievement, “ said ENC men’s basketball coach Jon Yeh. “Luc’s had many people help him along the way, and on the flip side, he’s turned a lot of passes into assists. Basketball is such a team game, and Luc has been a wonderful teammate over his four years as a Crusader.”

Jasmin, a senior elementary education major and three-year captain for the Crusaders, is the first male player in a decade to achieve this milestone, picking up where 1998 graduate Scott Madden, now Marshfield (Mass.) High School Boys’ Varsity Coach, left off.

Since his arrival at ENC, Jasmin has been a vital part of the Crusader basketball team. His 6 ft 7 in., 240 lb frame, combined with his soft hands and athleticism, enabled him to contribute quickly as a freshman. His responsibility steadily grew to team leader when he earned the captain’s role his sophomore year. In three years of play, he accumulated 816 points requiring him to score 184 points in his final season. Considering his past production, surpassing the 1,000-point plateau should have easily occurred mid-season. But a September diagnosis of an injury sustained in mid-summer revealed a lower leg fracture and put the milestone in jeopardy. Jasmin’s injury would need four months of immobilization and recovery before he could return to play.

After sitting out the first part of the season, the hard work Jasmin exemplified his first three years carried him through. Jasmin averaged 13.8 points per game upon his return, helping him join “the cloud of witnesses” that hang on the 1,000 Point Banner over ENC’s Lahue Physical Education Center basketball court. The banner starts with the first 1,000 pointer, Ray Baltz (65), continues with now assistant coach Gerry Whetstone (75) and Jasmin (08) becomes the 28th Men’s Crusader player to reach this summit.

“I am extremely happy for Luc, especially considering how hard he had to rehabilitate his injured leg,” said Yeh. “The big guy has done a fantastic job representing Eastern Nazarene College on and off the court, and we will miss him sorely.”

Eastern Nazarene Falls 71-48 to Roger Williams on Senior Day.

February 23, 2008. Quincy, Mass.-The second seeded Hawks came out on fire and blazed the entire game shooting 59.6% from the field. While the Crusaders held the rebounding advantage, 36-28, the Hawks constant motion on offense and inside game led to more made baskets. Led by their 6'10" senior center 10 points and 8 rebounds, the Hawks outscored the Crusaders in the paint, 36-20.

The Crusaders managed to only be down by five at the half, 33-28, as senior co-captain Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) hit a lay up at the buzzer. But the Hawks continued to sail in the second stanza shooting 60.7% from the floor outscoring the Crusaders by 18, 38-20, in the second half. Thirteen second half turnovers hurt what chances the Crusaders might have had and led to 30 of the Hawks 38 second half points.

Sophomore guard Alex Carr (Middletown, MD) led the Crusaders hitting 50% from the field to score 12 points, perfect from the free throw line 5 of 5.

Roger Williams secures the second seed in the TCCC Playoffs as Eastern Nazarene (5-20, 2-11 in the TCCC) finished their season tonight.

Five seniors close out their career with the Men's Basketball program today. They were joined by their families underneath the home side basket for a warm crowd applause.

Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) captained the Crusader's for three seasons leading their inside game. He scored 1029 points, 11.5 pts/game, pulled down 513 rebounds, had 113 assists, 59 steals and 45 blocks. He is a career 55.2% shooter from the field. Luc will graduate with a degree in Elementary Education.

Andrew Brown (New London, NH) captained the Crusader's this year and brought the ball up the court his three years at ENC. He scored 313 points, had 184 assists, 148 rebounds and 53 steals in his career. Brown shot 33.3% from the field in three seasons, 35% from behind the arc this season, and 69.7% from the free throw line in three seasons. Andrew will graduate with a degree in Sports Management and plans on attending Graduate School to study Athletic Administration.

JP Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass.) led the team this year in scoring and rebounds with 14 pts/game and 10.6 rebs/game while shooting 45.6% from the field. He finished his career with 785 points, 8.7 pts/game, 662 rebounds, 90 steals, 157 assists and 44 blocks. Marcellus' slashing, leaping and dunks brought an unparalleled excitement to the game. JP will graduate with a degree in Business Management.

Jeremy Hueston played two seasons with the Crusaders and was a potent weapon from 3 point range for the Crusaders. He shot 34.1% from behind the arc, often times well behind the arc, and brought a savvy basketball awareness to the game. He finished with 266 points, 19 steals, 32 steals and 83 rebounds in his brief Crusader career that spanned only 38 games. Jeremy will graduate with a degree in Physical Education/Movement Arts.

Fifth year senior Cris Corey (Keene, NH) after having played three seasons (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07) spent this year as a student assistant with the coaching staff and will graduate with a Business Management degree this May. He hopes on attending Graduate School and possibly pursuing a career in coaching and athletic management.

February 20th, 2008. Newport, RI. Eastern Nazarene gets their due, another win. Enduring a nine game losing streak, dating back to their 82-69 win vs. Gordon on January 19th, Eastern Nazarene snapped a 12 game Salve Regina win streak over the Crusaders on the Seahawks "Senior Night".

In a game that saw 10 lead changes and 7 ties, it was Eastern Nazarene's seniors who led their team to the 5th win of the season, 2nd in the TCCC. Senior co-captain's Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) and Andrew Brown (New London, NH) along with senior's Jean Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass.) and Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD) unhinged the Seahawks 67.8 ppg offense by holding them to their second lowest point total of the year and lowest FG% of the season, as they went 18 for 62 on the night, shooting just 29% from the field.

With :39 seconds left in the game, two made free throws by guard Andrew Brown gave the Crusader's their largest lead of the game, eleven, at 56-45. The Seahawks attempts to close the gap proved to be in vain as the Crusaders converted 4 of 6 free throws to seal this eight point, 59-51, victory.

The Seahawks turned the ball over nine fewer times than the Crusaders, 12 to 21, but the Crusaders simply dominated the boards, out rebounding the home team by sixteen, 48-32, leaving little opportunity for second chance points.

Jasmin and Marcellus led the way for the Crusaders as they each posted 15 points, with Marcellus grabbing a 17 rebounds to post his 12th double-double of the season.

Eastern Nazarene hosts Roger Williams on Saturday, February 23rd to close out the season, tip off is at 3:00 pm.

February 16th, 2008. Quincy, Mass. Trailing 48-35 with 3:15 remaining in the first half, an offensive rebound off of a missed 3-pt attempt and the ensuing lay-up gave co-captain Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) his 4thpoint of the game and 1,000^th of his career as a Crusader. The Crusaders went on to fall to the Bison of Nichols College 89-83, but the journeyman's accomplishment gave a point of light to the Crusaders difficult season.

As has been true on several occasions this year, the Crusaders competed and came out on top in many statistical categories but were foiled in one that became their Achilles Heel. Tonight's Achilles was the free throw line. Not that the Crusaders shot poorly (71.4%, 15 for 21), as the games leading scorer, SR/F Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass.) was a perfect 9 for 9 from the charity stripe. But the Bison took advantage of the 35 opportunities they had from the same spot, making 28 to shoot 80% from the FT line. A 71.4% to 80% is not a huge difference in a game normally, but the inexplicable category which made it so potent was the 26-19 advantage the Bison had in personal fouls against. Seven more fouls created 14 more attempts at the line which sunk the Crusaders chances of getting their second win in the TCCC and fifth of the season.

JP Marcellus led all scorers with 30 points, 9 rebounds as Jasmin followed with 12 points, 11 rebounds. Freshman G Brett Rahrer (Fort Wayne, IN) contributed 12 points shooting 4 for 6 from behind the arc.

Eastern Nazarene drops to 4-19 overall and 1-10 in the TCCC and head down to Salve Regina University Wednesday, February 20th for their next game.

Februrary 12th, 2008. Henniker, NH – The Eastern Nazarene Crusaders fell to the New England College Pilgrims, 82-77, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) play tonight. The two teams would battle evenly through the opening minutes before Eastern Nazarene would use a 10-2 run to go up by 15 with 7:16 remaining in the half. The Pilgrims worked their way back into the game finishing the half on a 7-2 run of their own for the Crusaders to go into halftime up by six, 35-41.

The Pilgrims capturing their first lead of the contest at the 15:54 mark going up 52-51. The game was marked with five ties and three lead changes before the home team used a 7-0 run to go up 75-68 with 6:18 remaining. The Crusaders cut the lead to just two points with 2:50 remaining but the Pilgrims converted on their free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 82-77 victory.

Leading the way for Eastern Nazarene College was co-captain SR/C Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, R.I.) who finished with a team-high 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. ENC’s other co-captain SR/G Andrew Brown (New London, N.H.) chipped in 10 points, while SR/F Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass.) finished with 15 rebounds for the Crusaders.

February 11th, 2008. Boston, Mass. For the second time in four weeks, Eastern Nazarene College freshman guard DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, S.C.) was chosen as the The Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Week. Alston had another impressive week for the Crusaders as he averaged 15 points, four assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game. Alston’s best performance of the week came against Curry in a tough 84-81 overtime loss, as he scored 19 points while shooting 64% from the field (7-for-11), and 60% (3-for-5) from beyond the arc.

February 9th, 2008. Quincy, Mass. Curry's shot in the lane with :07 seconds remaining brought the 9 point deficit to 0, tying up the score at 63-63 and sending the game into overtime. The visitors escaped Lahue tonight with a 84-81 OT victory to maintain their chase for The Commonwealth Coast Conference lead.

With this game being all that college basketball fans hope for, the Crusaders would trail by three, 29-26, going into the half after having the lead for nearly the first fourteen minutes of the game. When the two teams took the floor again, the Crusaders would go on a 8-0 run to gain a 34-29 lead. This TCCC match up would have 7 lead changes and 5 ties, with neither team enjoying a double digit advantage at any time.

The Crusaders let this game get away from them on the free throw line as they nearly shot their season low, 42.6% when their opponent hit for 75% from the line. The Crusaders did all the right work to earn the win as they shot a tremendous 71.4% from the field in regulation, battling to a 1 rebound deficit (37-36) against a taller team and were even in the turnover column each team having 18.

Eastern Nazarene's FR/G DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) hit 7 of 11 from the field and scored 19 points, dishing out 5 assists while SR/F JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) notched his 11th double-double of the season scoring 16 and grabbing 14 rebounds. Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) contributed 16 points on the night and SR/G's Andrew Brown (New London, NH) and Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD) tossed in 10 points a piece.

Eastern Nazarene falls to 4-17, 1-8 in the TCCC and heads to New England College next Tuesday, February 12th.

February 6, 2008. Quincy, Mass.- Eastern Nazarene loses hard fought battle tonight, 80-71, in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference match up against Western New England 80-71. In this high scoring affair, there were three Crusader players scoring in double figures, but they could not contain the TCCC third place WNEC team.

The Golden Bears had strong performances all around as five players scored in double digits. With the Golden Bears hitting three straight 3-pointers early in the second half, the visitors gave themselves a 16 point lead, 51-35. But the Crusaders closed the gap to single digits, 58-49, with 4:50 left on the clock. The Crusaders would even pull to within four points twice, once with 2:31 remaining in the game and the other with :30 seconds left, but five straight free throws iced the game for the visitors.

Eastern Nazarene's Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) had a strong performance despite being in foul trouble and only playing 27 minutes. The senior forward pulled down 14 boards and led all game scorers with 18 points earning his 10th double-double of the season.

ENC also had strong performances from SR/C Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) and FR/G DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) with 16 and 11 points respectively.

Eastern Nazarene (4-16, 1-7 TCCC) hosts Curry College on Saturday, February 9th at 3:00 pm.

February 2^nd, 2008. Paxton, Mass. The Anna Maria College men’s basketball earned a must The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) win today by downing the Crusaders of Eastern Nazarene College by the score of 97-80.

Anna Maria jumped out to quick 13-6 lead and then pushed the lead to ten, which is where it stood when the teams went to the locker room for the break. The visitors came out with determination in the second half and cut the lead to four, 50-46, in the first four minutes. Sophomore Alex Carr (Middletown, Md.) hit a three point shot, and then Senior Andrew Brown (New London, N.H.) finished a traditional three point play as the Crusaders willed them selves back into the game. But the home team responded with a 10-2 run highlighted by an almost identical series. The AMCats would gain control of the game again as the lead grew to as many as 15, 72-57, midway through the second half. A four minute 9-3 run brought the lead back down to single digits, 75-66, with the Crusaders threatening. However, a 20-4 run up to the 1:30 mark by the home team laid to rest the hopes of a Crusader comeback tonight.

Freshman DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, S.C.) was huge for the visitors scoring a team high 19 points, 12 of which came from behind the arc. Senior Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, R.I.) was his typical solid self in the paint and added 18 points and grabbed 10 boards for the only double-double of the game.

Eastern Nazarene drops to 4-15 (1-6 TCCC) and hosts Western New England College on the 6^th at 8:00 pm..

Charger Momentum Tops Crusaders, 73-65

NEW LONDON, N.H. – January 31, 2008 – The Chargers of Colby-Sawyer came back from a nine-point deficit with 12:00 remaining to beat the Crusaders of Eastern Nazarene College, 73-65 Thursday night in The Commonwealth Coast Conference men's basketball action Thursday evening.

After trading baskets for much of the first half, the Chargers went into the break leading 33-29.

Eastern Nazarene owned the start of the second half, turning a four-point deficit into a three point lead in only three minutes thanks to a 20-9 run. The Crusaders held the lead until the Chargers tied the game at 56-56 with 6:43 remaining. After that the Chargers took the lead and would not relinquish it, going on to the eight point victory, 73-65.

Leading the way for the Crusaders was Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass.) with a game-high 25 points and five steals to go along with a team-high 11 rebounds earning his 9th double-double of the season. Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, Md.) and Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, R.I.) rounded out the double-digit scores for Eastern Nazarene with 14 points and 11 points respectively.

Eastern Nazarene (4-14, 1-5 TCCC) will head to Paxton, Mass. to take on Anna Maria College at 3 p.m.

January 29, 2008. Quincy, Mass.- The quickness of the visiting Hawks troubled the Crusaders all game as turnovers led to as many as 34 of the Hawks points. Down by 10 at the half, 35-35, the Crusaders allowed the game to get away from them and trailed by as many as 27, 80-53, with 5 minutes remaining.

A 22-8 run by the Crusaders brought the game back to a 13 point deficit, 83-70, with 1:29 left of the clock. However, 5 of 6 free throw shooting within the short time frame would not allow the Crusaders to get any closer.

Eastern Nazarene’s senior center and captain Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) had a season high 21 points and 11 rebounds, garnering his first double-double of the year.

Eastern Nazarene falls to 4-13 on the season and resumes play on Thursday, January 31st against TCCC opponent Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH at 8:00 pm.

Regis College Oust Eastern Nazarene College 84-74

January 26th, 2008. WESTON, Mass-Regis College would out last Eastern Nazarene College down the stretch, defeating the Crusaders 84-74 Saturday evening. The win gives the Pride its second conference win in school history, and improves its record to 8-10 (2-3 TCCC). Eastern Nazarene College drops to 4-12 (1-4 TCCC).

Consistent play through the first half would keep the teams competing for every basket. Neither team would maintain a large lead as the first half came to a close. With the Pride seconds away from heading into intermission up by three points, freshman DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) for the Crusaders would hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer to tie the first half at 39-39.

Opening up the second half, Eastern Nazarene’s Jonathan Georges (Randolph, MA) would help the Crusaders to a three point lead. But the Regis Pride would later make up the difference.

With 8:08 remaining in the game, the Crusader's senior Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) would sink a jumper to put Eastern Nazarene College ahead of the Pride by six. Marcellus led the Crusaders with 12 points, and 10 rebounds.

In the ensuing minutes the Pride cut into that lead with two three-pointer's followed by two jumpers to change the game in their favor. With less than 3:00 minutes in the game, the Pride struck again with a three-pointer, and Eastern Nazarene, forced to foul, sent five different Regis players to the line, all five sinking their free throws and the Crusaders chance of overcoming a 10 point loss.

Eastern Nazarene runs into sharp shooting University of New England, 81-67.

January 23, 2008. Quincy, Mass.- A duo of Texans did the Crusaders in tonight as they combined for 51 of the opponents 81 points. If one player scoring 21 points was not enough, the other sharp shooting Texan did the trick by hitting for 30 points, 11 of 13 from the field (4 of 5 from behind the 3 pt line) and 4 of 5 at the free throw line in just 24 minutes of play before fouling out.

As a team the Nor’easters were nearly spot on, shooting 69% from the field and 76% from the free throw line. The Crusaders on another night might have had the 43% from the field and 45% from the 3-pt line hold up for a victory, but not tonight. J.P. Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) would continue with his 7th double-double of the season scoring 10 pts and grabbing 11 rebounds, while SR/G Jeremy Hueston’s (Brunswick, MD) led the Crusaders with 14 points on the night.

On top of Hueston’s 14 points and Marcellus’s 10 points, the Crusaders had three others in double digits, FR/G DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) had 13 points, SR/C Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) had 12 points and FR/G Brett Rahrer (Fort Wayne, IN) shot a perfect 3-3 from behind the arch while tallying 11 points.

Eastern Nazarene (4-11, 1-3 TCCC) travels to Regis College on Saturday, January 26th for a 3:00 PM game.

-ENC Athletics (Contributing writer Justen Smith)

EASTERN NAZARENE PLAYERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

January 22nd, 2008. Boston, Mass. Crusaders nominate two, one awarded.

Freshman DeAngelo Alston contributed to Eastern Nazarene’s defeat of The Commonwealth Coast Conference leader Gordon mightily. With his perfect free throw shooting, quarterbacking of the front court and timely shooting from the field, including 3 for 4 from behind the 3 pt line, he fended-off Scot runs in the making, reflecting a veteran’s play while producing his 17 points and 7 rebounds.

The Crusader point/two guard averaged 27 minutes in his two games this past week while shooting 43.8% from the field and 44.4% from behind the 3-pt line. For this Alston was named TCCC Rookie of the Week.

Eastern Nazarene's Player of the Week Nominee, senior JP Marcellus, had another highlight reel game for Eastern Nazarene vs. Gordon. This time the Crusaders were able to show something for it, as they beat the heavily favored Scot’s. JP was nearly unstoppable and had 24 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 2 steals. JP was 7 for 13 from the field (1-1, 3pt FG) and 9 for 13 from the free throw line displaying athleticism, with under the basket reverse lay-ups and an alley-oop jam from ROTW Alston, sending the full house of fans into a frenzy. This marked JP's 6th game of the year serving up a double-double for the Crusaders while he leads the team in both scoring, 14.5 points per game, and rebounds, 10.4 per game.

January 19, 2008. Quincy, Mass. Hitting for 58.7 percent in the field, the Eastern Nazarene Crusaders (4-10, 1-2) stopped their 6 game losing streak and handed the Gordon Scot's (11-3, 3-1) their first loss of the conference season. The lead changed early and often up through the first ten minutes of the contest unitl SR/C Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) converted to give the Crusaders the lead at 17-15 with 10:01 on the clock. Little did anyone know the Crusaders would not relinquish it from then on.

Building up a 17 point lead on several different occasions, the Crusaders answered every run the Scot's made. Answering one of those attempts was SR/F JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) and F/G DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) as the two combined with what may be the highlight of the year. Following a Crusader steal and a series of touch passes going the length of the floor, the basket was converted as a air-suspended DeAngelo fed Marcellus for an alley-oop slam dunk.

The Scot's had pulled to within 11, 72-61, with 4:00 remaining, but the perfect second half free throw shooting, 12 for 12, (10 for 10 under the 4:00 minute mark), kept the Scot's at bay. The Crusaders would finish the game with 82.6% (19-23) shooting from the free throw line, 58.7% from the field and 69.2% (9-13) from behind the 3 pt line.

Eastern Nazarene's Marcellus led all scorer's pouring in 24 points to go with his 10 rebounds, 6 assists for a double-double. DeAngelo followed with 17 points (3 of 4, 3-PT FG) and 7 rebounds.

Earlier this season the teams squared up with the Scot's taking that game 64-50, despite JP Marcellus' 25 point, 13 rebound evening. This evening was the Crusaders night however, as Marcellus again led the band of hot shooting hands.

Eastern Nazarene hosts UNE on Wednesday, January 23rd for another The Commonwealth Coast Conference match up at the Lahue PE Center.

-ENC Athletics

January 12th, 2008. Quincy, Mass. Unable to convert on the free throw line (14-30), and behind the three point line (1-12), the Eastern Nazarene Crusaders miss an opportunity falling to the Endicott Powergulls 79-65. In contrast, the visitors shot 85.7% (12-14) from the charity stripe and hit 9 of 25 shots from behind the arc to go on to win by 14.

Endicott went into halftime leading 36-27. The Gulls came out with the hot hand going on an 11-0 run to make the game 47-27. The Crusaders challenged the Gulls getting the lead down to 10 and 11 points but the barrier remained as the Crusaders could not hit their free throws. Crusader SR/F JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) played strong inside and led all scorers with 21 points and 16 rebounds, including an electric alley-oop fed by SO/G Alex Carr (Middletown, MD).

Besides Marcellus’ 21, Crusaders SR/C Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) contributed 11 points on the night.

Eastern Nazarene (3-9, 0-1) visits Wentworth Institute of Technology on Tuesday January 15 at 7:30 PM for another Commonwealth Coast Conference match up.

January 9, 2008. Quincy, Mass. – With one second remaining on the clock, and the Crusaders in bounding the ball underneath the offensive basket, a catch and shoot pass was blocked to secure the visitor's come from behind.

The Crusaders started off quickly taking a commanding 16-4 lead in the first 5 minutes of the game with two 3 pointers and a jumper from SR/ F Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD). The lead would go in and out of double digits until the Nighthawks converted on a lay up with 8 minutes remaining in the first half to make the score 28-19. The visitors had closed to within three, 38-35, by half time and eventually broke on top with 6:43 to play in the contest, ending what would be a 13-0 run. Ensuing were three ties and three lead changes before the games final buzzer ending with the two point, 67-65, Nighthawk advantage.

Eastern Nazarene’s SR/C Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) and JR/G Colby DaSilva (Bridgewater, MA) provided 10 points a piece as SR/F JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) led the Crusaders with 7 rebounds.

Eastern Nazarene goes into Commonwealth Coast Conference play this Saturday, January 12^th as they take on Endicott College at ENC's Lahue PE Center.

Quincy, Mass. – The Rams relentless defensive pressure ignited what would be a fire storm on the offensive end of the court for the visitors as they cruised to their fourth victory of the season. Shooting an 49.3% from the field, 62% in the second half, the Rams contested the Crusaders into turnovers and poor shots almost every possession.

The Crusaders started the game with a strong 13-2 run that led to a 25-10 lead after 11 minutes gone by. In these minutes SR/F Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD) sank 4 consecutive three point shots to give the Crusaders the early lead. While the hot hand contributed to the Crusaders first half 59.1 FG%, the Rams fought back and mounted a 29-11 run over the last 9 minutes, tying the game at 34-34 with a minute remaining, and taking the lead into the half, 39-36, after which it was never relinquished.

In a physical game containing 48 fouls between the two teams, the Crusaders would shoot an amazing 23 of 27 from the charity stripe, but free throw shooting would not be the decisive factor. The Rams continued to force the Crusaders into turnovers, 29 over the course of the game, and converted up to 41 of their 92 points off turnovers.

Eastern Nazarene’s Jeremy Hueston had his 12 points in the first half and was followed by SR/F JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) and SR/G captain Andrew Brown (New London, NH) who both had 11 points. Marcellus led all players today with 9 rebounds.

Eastern Nazarene takes the rest of December for exams and vacation returning to action January 5th, 2008 with an away contest at Connecticut College, tip-off at 3 PM.

Eastern Nazarene closes out their December 2007 schedule this Saturday, the 8th, as they host Framingham State in ENC's Lahue PE Center at 3:00 pm.

December 1st, 2007. Quincy, Mass.- Eastern Nazarene (3-4) returned from a 15 point deficit, 55-40, with 7:24 remaining to go on and beat Mt Ida (2-5) for the first time ever. In this 24-3 run senior JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) pouredin 8 of his game-high 21 points while SR Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD), sophomore Alex Carr (Middletown, MD) and freshman DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) pumped in 6, 5 and 5 points a piece in that time.

In somewhat of an "drastic turn of events" says Crusaders Coach Yeh, the Crusaders had been leading at halftime, 31-28, but had given up an 11-0 run, and the lead, to the Mustangs through the first five minutes of the second stanza. The Crusaders slowly began to wake up over the next 7 minutes as they started to answer with some offense of their own. After this time of swapping buckets, the Crusaders finally came alive and started hitting their shots, free throws and playing with conviction. After a Hueston three pointer to tie it at 58-58 with 3:00 minutes to play, DeAngelo Alston converted a jumper for the lead and what would be the game winning points before the final score of 64-58.

While the Crusaders hit for 74% from the free throw line, the Mustangs were only able to muster 11 points off of 29 free throw attempts (37%), and opened the door for the Crusaders. Aside from the possibility of hitting their free throws, the Mustangs had no answers to the Crusaders energy in the last 12 minutes of the game.

Marcellus had his 3rd double-double of the season scoring 21 and grabbing 16 rebounds while Hueston and SR Andrew Brown (New London, NH) followed with 11 points.

Eastern Nazarene travels to Gordon on Thursday, December 6th for their next game, tip off is at 8:00 pm.

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Eastern Nazarene (1-3) welcomes Green Mountain College (3-1), Mass. College of Liberal Arts (1-2) and Mitchell College (0-5) as they host an early season tournament for the first time in several years. Friday’s games feature the MCLA Trailblazers facing the Mitchell Pequot’s at 6:00 pm followed by the ENC Crusaders hosting the GMC Eagles at 8:00 pm. Winner’s of these contest will go on to face one another in the Championship game on Saturday at 4:00 pm while the loser’s match up in the Consolation game at 2:00 pm. THANKS TO THE TOURNAMENT SPONSORS BETHEL, SOUTH WEYMOUTH AND WOLLASTON CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE, SECOND CHURCH OF DORCHESTER AND THE HAMPTON INN OF BRAINTREE.

December 1st, 2007. Quincy, Mass.- Day two of the ENC Crusader Classic featured the Consolation game between Eastern Nazarene College and Mitchell College, and the Championship game between Green Mountain College and the Mass. College of the Liberal Arts.

The Crusader’s (2-4) defeated the Pequot’s (0-6) for the second time this season, today to the score of 74-65. The Pequot’s took a 10-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game before the Crusaders could respond with their own 12-2 run to tie the game at 14-14 with 8:29 remaining in the half. Off the strong shooting of sophomore Alex Carr (Middletown, MD), 12 points in the first half, the Crusaders retained a single digit lead going into the locker room with a 36-30 advantage over the Pequot’s.

Starting the second half with a 10-3 run, the Crusaders would not relinquish the lead again. The home team converted their free throws down the stretch to withstand a 42% second half Pequot FG%.

Alex Carr, selected to the Crusader Classic All Tournament Team, finished with 18 points leading the Crusaders and Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD) finished with 13 points. Senior JP Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Crusaders on the boards.

Eastern Nazarene visits Gordon College on Thursday, December 6^th for their next match of the season.

Day 1 Green Mountain Advances to Championship Game in Over Time Thriller, 77-75

November 2, 2007. Quincy, Mass. In the second game of the evening, the Crusaders fell in a classic overtime nail-bitter to the Eagles of Green Mountain College, 77-75. The Crusaders grabbed the lead early and drove it out to 20-7 at the 11:30 mark, but the Eagles fought back to go into the half leading 33-32. The game was one of lead changes and ties.

Down by one, 67-66, Crusaders Jeremy Hueston’s 3-pointer gave the home team the two point lead, but an Eagle’s fast break lay up tied the game at 69-69 before the clock ran out to send it into overtime. After an exchange of leads an Eagle's jumper and one free throw gave them a two point lead before Andrew Brown’s shot missed off the rim as time ticked out.

The Crusaders were led by SR J.P. Marcellus with 17 points, 9 rebounds and a dunk while Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD) closely followed with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

Green Mountain (4-1) advances into the Championship game of the Crusader Classic on Saturday at 4:00 pm to face the MCLA Trail Blazers while Eastern Nazarene (1-4) will play in the Consolation game at 2:00 pm against Mitchell College.

November 27, 2007. Quincy, Mass. The Crusaders fought tough all game only to fall short in the end, 65 to 63. The game came down to the final 0.2 seconds of the game as SR/G Andrew Brown (New London, NH) hit a 3 point shot to bring the Crusaders to within two. But the home side was not able to gain possession again for a final chance.

In a physical game of eight ties and eight lead changes, the Crusaders fought to a 31-29 lead at the break. The Wildcats though captured the lead midway through the half and extended it up to 10 points with 2:00 minutes to play. With the game feeling secure for the Wildcats, the Crusaders made an impressive comeback led by FR/G DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC). The team pressed and converted points off of turnovers and fouls to close the gap to as little as one with less than 30 seconds remaining. But the consistent Wildcat free throw shooting kept the Crusaders chasing and with the score at 65-60, and time ticking off the clock, ENC’s Brown converted the team’s final points with only two-tenths of a second to spare.

Eastern Nazarene was led by SR/F Jean-Paul Marcellus’ (Dorchester, MA) 15 points and 23 rebounds followed by SR/F Jeremy Hueston’s (Brunswick, MD) 14 points.

Eastern Nazarene (1-3) hosts Green Mountain on Friday, November 30th in the ENC Crusader Classic at 8:00 pm.

Cambridge, Mass. November 20, 2007. – In the game before Thanksgiving Break, the Crusaders came out and controlled the Lynx with a stiff defense and respectable 39% shooting from the field to go into the break on top, 35-31.

However, with 66% shooting from the field, 54% behind the 3-point line, the Lynx turned a solid performance for the Crusaders into their second loss of the season. The Lynx outside shooting changed the game dramatically as their long range shots, sometimes from beyond NBA range with the shot clock ticking down, found their way through the rim to keep the game close and eventually take the games momentum from the Crusaders.

ENC’s senior forward Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, Mass.) was a major force scoring 20 points while grabbing 14 rebounds. And senior guard Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, Md.) was dangerous with the deep shot, hitting three of seven three-pointers finishing with 18 points.

The Crusaders pick up action again as they open their home campaign against Wheelock College on Tuesday, November 27^th at ENC’s Lahue PE Center with a 7:00 pm tip off.

WILLIMANTIC, Conn., Saturday, November 17, 2007. The Crusaders fought off the Pequot’s today in their second game of the season and first win of the 2007-2008 campaign. In what was a tight game that experienced four ties and three lead changes, the Crusaders managed to open it up midway through the second stanza. Crusader freshman guard DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) drove the lane for a lay up and pushed the lead to 14 points, 59-45, with 4:01 left on the clock to diminish the chances of a Pequot comeback.

Crusader sophomore guard Alex Carr (Middletown, MD) scored a team-high 17 points as senior forward Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD), junior center Dan Shaw (Northfield, VT) and senior guard Andrew Brown (New London, NH) chipped in ten points a piece in the victory.

Dan Shaw represented Eastern Nazarene on the All-Tournament Team scoring 18 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in two games.

WILLIMANTIC, Conn., Friday, November 16, 2007. In a first half that never saw the lead grow to more than six points, 34-28 at half time, the second half fell in favor of the home side. Two three pointers midway through the second half sparked a 12-3 run, turning a seven-point lead into a sixteen-point lead, 64-48, with seven minutes remaining eventually to go on to win by 19.

Eastern Nazarene out shot the Warriors by seven points from the free-throw line and forced Eastern Conn. St. into nine more turnovers, but the Crusaders missed 10 of 12 three-pointers and went on to shoot 33.3 per cent from the floor in the game.

Senior forward Jean-Paul Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) paced the Crusaders with 18 points. Sophomore guard Alex Carr (Middletown, MD) added 11 points and junior guard Colby DaSilva (Bridgewater, MA) scored 11 off the bench. Eastern Nazarene moves into the Consolation bracket and faces Mitchell College on Saturday at 1:00 pm.

2007-08 Season Preview: Senior-laden line-up looks to get Crusaders “Back on Track”

The 2007-08 Crusader team was ready to start this year’s basketball season back in February of 2007. That’s when ENC knocked off Roger Williams University and Wentworth Institute of Technology over the final eight days of the season. At the time, Roger Williams was the No. 1 seed in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) South Division, and Wentworth went on to win the TCCC conference tournament and play in the NCAA tournament.

“I’d like to think we’ll start this season with the same enthusiasm and confidence that we had at the end of last year,” said Coach Jon Yeh, who is in his second year guiding the Crusaders. “The chemistry of the players and their familiarity with our offensive and defensive systems are very apparent already.”

A blend of young and veteran players will make up the playing rotation, headlined by a quartet of seniors: Andrew Brown, Jeremy Hueston, Luc Jasmin and Jean-Paul Marcellus.

“All the successful teams I’ve been a part of had one thing in common — leadership from the upperclassmen,” remarked Yeh. “That starts with their work ethic on the court, in the classroom and on campus. These four young men definitely have a passion for getting Crusader Basketball ‘Back on Track,’ our theme for this year.”

The 6-7 Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI), garnered TCCC Honorable Mention All-Conference honors in 2006-07 despite facing constant double and triple teams. The three-time co-captain led the Crusaders with 13.4 ppg and 6.3 rpg as a junior, shooting 57 percent from the field. He will begin the year 184 points shy of becoming the 28^th player in school history to score 1,000 points.

The team’s other co-captain, Brown (New London, NH), started 24 games last season at point guard and led the team in assists. The 6-4 Marcellus (Dorchester, MA) averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds over the first 15 games of the 2006-07 season. Hueston (Brunswick, MD) joined the team late in the season last year, but now will be counted on to become one of the team’s top threats from the perimeter.

Juniors Dan Shaw (Northfield, VT) and Colby DaSilva (Bridgewater, MA) will see plenty of action this year as well. The 6-5 Shaw (3.1 ppg) has been an effective low-post defender and will be asked to step up his offensive repertoire. DaSilva started four games as a sophomore before tearing his Achilles tendon and missing the rest of the season. He’s a solid outside shooter and defender who has a knack for making clutch hustle plays.

Leading the sophomore class is a pair of Maryland natives: Alex Carr (Brunswick, MD) and Kennard Hueston (Brunswick, MD). Carr tied for second on the team in assists in 2006-07, spending the majority of his court time at point guard. Hueston will see an increase in minutes in the Crusaders’ front court.

A duo of highly skilled guards headlines the freshman class. The speedy DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC) averaged 13.5 ppg and 5.6 apg at Dreher High School, while Brett Rahrer (Fort Wayne, IN) was a two-year captain and led Northop High School in scoring as a senior. Local star Jonathan Georges (Randolph, MA) will add to the depth of the front court. He averaged 11 ppg and 13 rpg as a senior at Randolph High School.

Other newcomers to the team include sophomore Andrew Gardner (Braintree, MA), sophomore transfer Jtuan Gaines (Charlotte, NC) and freshman Mario Aguilar (Stratford, CT).

The Crusaders were dealt a pair of setbacks early in the pre-season when Jasmin and Rahrer were both diagnosed with stress fractures in the leg and foot, respectively. However, Yeh thinks it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

“It’s frustrating to all of us — especially to Luc and Brett — for them to have to sit after all the work they’ve put in,” said Yeh. “But it also provides an opportunity for others to step up their games. And when Luc and Brett do return, it will make our team even better.”

Eastern Nazarene begins its season Friday, Nov. 16, when the Crusaders play the host school at the Eastern Connecticut State University Tip-Off Tournament. For the first time in several years, ENC will host its own tournament, the Crusader Classic, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. TCCC conference play tips off in early January.

2006-07 Season in Review: Crusaders’ Strong Finish Sets Tone for Next Season

In the never-ending battle between the river and the rock, the river always prevails. The water’s constant flow eventually erodes and displaces the rock.

“That’s a good analogy for our season,” said Crusader first-year head coach Jon Yeh. “We persevered all year long and stayed together as a team. Eventually, we moved that rock and made some significant achievements at the end of the season to finish strong.”

Those achievements included a pair of wins over the final eight days of the regular season. And how huge were those wins?

The Crusaders shocked the region by upsetting Roger Williams University (RWU) on the road. At the time, RWU was the No. 1 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) South Division and had handed ENC its worst loss of the season a few weeks earlier. The win helped knock RWU from the top spot in the CCC conference tournament.

One week later, the Crusaders upended Wentworth Institute of Technology on Senior Day in the Lahue Center. ENC’s 87 points were the most points Wentworth gave up in the regular season. The Crusaders also held CCC Player of the Year Sherrad Prezzie-Blue to just 13 points on 5 of 13 shooting. That win served as a wake-up call for Wentworth. The Leopards went on to win the CCC tournament, earning a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.

“We definitely played our best basketball at the end of the season, and we were one of those rare teams to end the year with a victory,” said Yeh. “All season long, I kept telling the players that after we won our first game, we’d get on a little roll. Unfortunately, it took us longer than expected to figure out how to finish off a game.”

The Crusaders’ 2-23 record was very deceiving. Twelve of the losses were decided in the final seconds, with ENC either losing the lead or trailing by three points or less with under one minute remaining.

After a short-handed season opening loss at Keene State, the Crusaders dropped their next six games by an average of 5 points each. In fact, 11 of the team’s first 14 games came down to the final minute. In all but five of the losses, ENC trailed by single digits with five minutes to play.

“We were a young team in terms of wins and losses. None of the players had ever experienced much success on the court in college,” Yeh remarked. “The fact that we played so many close games was a bright spot, but the frustration came in falling short each time. We defended fairly well most of the season, but we never really overcame our struggles in shooting the basketball.”

The Crusaders held opponents to a very respectable 43 percent shooting on the year and outrebounded them by an average of 2.4 rebounds per game. But until the final few games, ENC never found its shooting touch, shooting 41 percent from the field overall, 29 percent from the 3-point line and just 56 percent from the free throw line.

Junior co-captain Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, RI) led the Crusaders with 13.4 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game. The heavily doubled post player shot 57 percent from the field and was named CCC Honorable Mention All Conference.

Senior Ryan Seaberg (Cheyenne, WY) was ENC’s second-leading scorer (10.5 ppg) and third- leading rebounder (5.1 rpg). Sophomore Ricardo Jean-Noel (Montreal, QC) tallied 7.7 points per game and led the squad by shooting 35 percent from the 3-point line and 38 percent from behind the arc in CCC play. Junior Andrew Brown (New London, NH) topped the team with 2.9 assists per game.

The Crusaders graduate three seniors: guards Seaberg and Chris Corey (Keene, NH) and forward Dave Duda (Brunswick, ME). Corey (6.4 ppg) was the team’s primary 3-point shooter, hitting 45 treys as a senior and 137 3-pointers overall in his three-year ENC career. Co-captain Duda (4.9 ppg) started 24 games as a senior and finished as the team’s second leading rebounder (5.6 rpg).

A solid nucleus of players will return, headlined by the 6-7 Jasmin, Jean-Noel and Brown, who started 21 games at point guard as a junior. The Crusaders expect to regain the services of 6-4 junior forward JP Marcellus, who averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds over the first 15 games of the 2006-07 season.

“Despite our record, I think we turned the corner in terms of understanding how hard you have to compete each game and each practice to win games,” said Yeh. “With a concentrated off-season of shooting work, some time in the weight room and a solid recruiting year, we’ll be in good shape for next season. With the way we finished in February, we’re already looking forward to next November.”

EASTERN NAZARENE COLLEGE			DIVISION III ATHLETICS
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Charger Momentum Tops Crusaders, 73-65

Eastern Nazarene College, 23 East Elm Avenue, Quincy, Massachusetts 02170 1-617-745-3000 | 1-800-88-ENC-88

Eastern Nazarene College, 23 East Elm Avenue, Quincy, Massachusetts 02170
1-617-745-3000 | 1-800-88-ENC-88