Fisher College Flies Past Fitchburg State, 77-70

Burgos posts team high 17 points in non-conference setback

FITCHBURG, Mass. - Fitchburg State University men's basketball hosted a non-conference bout with Fisher College tonight by a final score of 77-70 as senior guard Tyler Shular's 23 points led the visiting team to their third victory of the year.

Junior Leonny Burgos had a team-high 17 points for the Green and Gold in the loss, grabbing four rebounds and assisting on three baskets, while classmate Jaleel Bell and senior Kwame Lee each scored in double digits with 14 and 13 respectively.

Action began when the hosts went up by six, going on an 8-2 run over the first three minutes of the game. Burgos and Lee contributed a pair of baskets each, getting on the scoreboard quickly for the home team.

With twelve minutes left in the first half and the visitors down by their largest deficit of six points (14-8), Shular would connect on his first of three buckets from beyond the arc to spark the offensive for Fisher College.

Over the next four minutes Fisher college began to gain momentum in the contest following a back-and-fourth with the hosts to cut the deficit to just two at 23-21 over the next several minutes.

In the final five minutes of the first half, the visitors went on a 14-7 stretch to take their first lead of the game, getting three pointers from sophomore Aaron Penn, Jr and Shular during the scoring streak to close the half leading 37-32.

Following the intermission, the Green and Gold began a slight streak of their own over the opening 2:38 of the second frame, on a three ball from Lee and a jumper by Bell to knot the score at 37-37.

Over the next eight and half minutes, the back-and-forth battle continued with four lead changes and the game being tied up three times before Fisher regained the lead for good at the 8:49 mark on a jumper Schuler (52-50).

The visitors continued to build on its lead, scoring 11 points with Kevin Holmes scoring seven of his game 17 during a five minute span pushing the gap to 64-53. In the final three minutes and the home team trailing by eight points, the Green and Gold made a final push, reducing the deficit to eight (69-61) on a three ball from Lee and free throw by Burgos, but Schular sealed the win for the visitors, draining four shots for the charity stripe in the winding seconds, resulting in the 77-70 final.

Overall, Fitchburg State shot 27-for-64 (42.2%) from the field, while going 14-of-26 (53.8%) from the charity stripe. Fisher College went 33-for-68 (48.5%) overall, along with a 7-for-22 (31.8%) mark from downtown. 

The Green and Gold's defense was solid in the game as well, getting seven blocks and 14 steals with junior Troy DaCosta and Lee registering a pair of blocks each, while Lee had a game-high four steals.

Fitchburg State (5-6; 0-0 MASCAC) will return to action on Wednesday, December 30^th, when they'll travel to Waltham to take on the Judges of Brandeis at 6 p.m. Fisher College (3-4; 0-0 NAIAI) return to the court on Friday, December 11^th, when they'll host the College of St. Joseph's (Vermont) at 5 p.m.

Release courtesy of Fitchburg State student journalist Kyle Prudhomme

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