February 24, 2009
The NECC Quarterfinals:
Eagles KO Nighthawks, Gain NECC Semifinals
- First Postseason Victory In 11 Years As DWC Sets New Season Wins Mark -

Nashua - It took 11 years almost to the day, but the Daniel Webster College men’s basketball team is advancing the next round of the postseason.

Senior Brian Inge (Ft. Washington, Md.) knocked down a team high 21 points including four three pointers and fellow senior Tim Jackson (W. Henrietta, N.Y.) added 18 points with another four from outside and dished out a game high eight assists guiding the third seeded Daniel Webster College men’s basketball team past sixth seeded Newbury College, 86-65 in the quarterfinal round of the inaugural New England Collegiate Conference championship tournament Tuesday night at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.

The Eagles (17-8) broke the all time program record for victories in a season that had stood since the 1997-1998 season, and won in the postseason for the first time since February 26th, 1998 - incidentally the last time they hosted a playoff game - a win over Albertus Magnus.

The Eagles advance to the inaugural NECC final four which takes place this Friday and Saturday at top seed and host Elms College. The Eagles face number two seed Becker College in the second of two semifinal games Friday night. The game tips off at 8:00 p.m.

No. 4 seed Wheelock will face top seeded Elms in the first semifinal at 6:00 p.m.

The championship game is slated for Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

William Kemp Harris (Suitland, Md.) added 14 points and eight rebounds for DWC, while Chris Hanson (Salem, N.H.) added 10 points and five boards.

Walky Magliore ((Waltham, Mass.) led the Nighthawks (7-19) with a game high 27 points and added seven boards, while Kevin Cleveland (Lynn, Mass.) notched 13 points and eight rebounds and John Rowley, Jr. (Hartford, Conn.) chipped in with 12 points.

The Eagles controlled almost from the outset. Cleveland and Paul Beckford jumpers put Newbury out front 4-0 in the opening minute, but Jackson bookended an 11-0 spurt with his first and second from downtown for an 11-4 lead and the Eagles would build as much as an 11-point edge before taking a 33-24 lead to the break.

Newbury kept within striking distance over the first five minutes of the second and a Cleveland layup cut the lead to 44-36 with 15:23 remaining.

But a soft touch jumper from Chris Voukides (Salem, N.H.), a trey from Inge, and thunderous dunk from Harris that touched off a wild crowd response built the lead back to 15 (51-36) with 14:03 to go.

The Eagles would allow the Nighthawks to pull no closer than 10 the rest of the way and the lead would reach as many as 22 over the final minutes.