DARRIN KELLEY POSTS TEAM-HIGH IN TCCC QUARTERFINAL

WESTON, Mass.—Windell Hinkson (Groton, Conn./Fitch) tallied a game-high 27 points to lead No. 5 Salve Regina to a 62-58 win over No. 4 Regis College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference quarterfinal Tuesday.

Phil Alibrandi (York, Maine/York) tallied the first points of the game for Regis College, followed by a converted free-throw attempt. He would finish with 15 points for the Pride.

Salve Regina’s Patrick Dinneen (Medfield, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) had back-to-back scores as the Seahawks trailed 7-6 at 16:25 in the first half.

A three-point basket by Alibrandi less than a minute later lifted the Pride to a 10-8 lead. Windell Hinkson (Groton, Conn./Fitch) gave Salve its first lead of the night following a three-point basket on a fast break. Dinneen pushed the Seahawks lead to 13-10 on two good free throws.

At 14:32 Ryan Chambers (Abington, Mass./Abington) equaled the score at 13-13 with a converted three-pointer of his own. The two teams would battle for the next 7:30 exchanging baskets. Chambers would score a lay-up to put Regis College up by two, until Hinkson again answered with a three-point basket.

Momentum seemed to carry both teams through the next two minutes. Darrin Kelley (South Dennis, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth Regional) hit his second three pointer of the half as the shot clock wound down, giving Regis College a 26-23 lead. Kelley finished with a team-high 16 points.

Hinkson converted two free-throw shots to lift the Seahawks, but still trailed 31-25. Following turnovers by both teams, Salve Regina called for a full-timeout to discuss its game plan. Regis College held its lead for the last 19:19 of the first half to close out the first half ahead 33-30.

Salve Regina’s Ryan Birrell tied the opening of the second half 33-33 with a three-pointer. Hinkson again returned to familiar territory hitting a three-pointer of his own to give the Seahawks a 36-35 lead.

Robert Edwards (Idaho Falls, Idaho/Phillips Exeter) scored four points to bring Regis College within one point at 13:57. Hinkson began a streak from the three-point line that lifted Salve Regina to a five-point (46-41) lead at 12:16. At the 12:00 mark Hinkson had scored 19 points. A missed attempt turned into a fast break lay-up by Regis’ Michael Fernandes (Granby, Mass./Granby). Edwards put Regis College back in the lead (47-46) with a jumper in the paint. Following the basket, Salve Regina called a timeout to regroup.

An air ball by Hinkson allowed Edwards to again score in the paint. The backet gave the three-point (49-46) advantage to Regis College. Hinkson would not go quietly as he tallied back-to-back three-point baskets. In between his two attempts, Chambers would answer Hinkson’s first three with one of his own for Regis College.

After Salve Regina’s last basket at 3:55, the Seahawks took a seven-point (60-53) lead. A turnover in the paint by Regis College left its two-point tying opportunity on the table as Salve Regina led 60-58. Hinkson would convert two bonus free throws to give Salve Regina a 62-58 lead, and the game.

Salve Regina will advance to the TCCC semifinal game, and will know later in the evening Tuesday to find out the team and location of the game. This was Regis College’s first appearance in the TCCC postseason in its four-year existence as a men’s sport at Regis College.