Western New England College
Men's Basketball
2003 Season News

Saturday, Dec. 13, 2003
WNEC 67, Southern Vermont 65

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Junior guard Chris Harris (Manchester, CT) scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, and sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) hit two key free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining as Western New England College beat defending champion Southern Vermont College 67-65 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener for both teams.

Senior forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) and senior center Dyshawn Thames (Manchester, CT) each added 12 points for the Golden Bears while senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) totaled all nine of his points in the second half.

WNEC (3-5) trailed 36-24 at half-time, but gradually clawed its way back taking its first lead at 47-46 on Toney's jumper with 11:37 remaining.

The Golden Bears increased their lead to 63-56 on a three-pointer by Harris with 5:15 remaining before the Mountaineers mounted their own comeback pulling with 63-62 on a lay-up by sophomore forward Doug Hammond (Brooklyn, NY) with 3:24 left.

Neither team could score until Harris drained a foul line jumper to make it 65-62 with 32 seconds remaining.

Southern Vermont senior guard Sean Ezell (Gary, IN) made one of two free throws to cut the margin to 65-63 before Godbout made his two charity tosses. Hammond scored on a lay-up with one second remaining to complete the scoring.

Hammond led the Mountaineers (1-4) with 19 points while senior center Cortney Denson (Chicago, IL) added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Ezell finished with 15 points.

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003
Wesleyan 72, WNEC 68

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) had 14 points, four assists, and four rebounds as Western New England College dropped a close 72-68 decision against Wesleyan University.

Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) contributed 13 points and four rebounds while senior forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) chipped in with 12 points and five rebounds.

The Golden Bears (2-5) led 35-30 at half-time, but a 16-2 Cardinals run in the final 7:12 was the difference.

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003
WNEC 85, Anna Maria 71

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Junior guard Chris Harris (Manchester, CT) scored 24 points in his first varsity start as Western New England College opened its home season with an 85-71 victory over Anna Maria College.

Harris, who had scored only 22 points in five previous contests, was 8-of-14 from the field (including 5-of-7 three pointers) with five steals.

Sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) had 14 points and six assists while senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) added 12 points, four steals, and three assists. Senior forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) had a strong game with 10 points and a team high eight rebounds.

After Anna Maria pulled within 46-44 with 12:35 remaining, the Golden Bears broke the game open with an 11-0 run over the next four minutes.

WNEC (2-4) shot a season high 51.9% from the field and had its highest scoring output of the season. The Golden Bears also made made 22-of-28 free throws and forced 24 turnovers.

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003
Westfield State 80, WNEC 71
Amherst 80, Springfield 70,
(Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) and sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) led five players scoring in double figures with 13 points apiece, but Western New England College dropped an 80-71 decision to Westfield State College in the third annual Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic at Springfield College's Blake Arena.

The Golden Bears (1-4) received 32 points off the bench with freshman forward Peter Stathakis (North Attleboro, MA) firing in 12 points, and junior guard Chris Harris (Manchester, CT) and freshman forward Deon Thomas (Albany, NY) each contributing 10 points. Thomas was 4-for-5 from the field and grabbed a team high seven rebounds.

Toney had 22 points in the two contests while Godbout scored 20 points and shot 53.4% (7-for-13) from the floor.

Freshman forward Dan Holbrook led the Owls (3-2) with 22 points and 16 rebounds.

There were 57 fouls and 75 free throw attempts in the contest.

Friday, Dec. 5, 2003
Amherst 90, WNEC 53
Springfield 80, Westfield State 69
(Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Amherst College made its first six three-pointers and shot 55.6% from the field in posting an easy 90-53 win over Western New England College in the opening round game of the third annual Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic at Springfield College's Blake Arena.

Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) led the Golden Bears (1-3) with nine points while senior forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) and freshman forward Malik Champlain (Norwich, CT) each contributed eight points. Champlain made 4-of-8 shots from the field and pulled down six rebounds

Senior guard Adam Harper led the Lord Jeffs (5-0) with 20 points while junior forward Andrew Schiel added 19 points. Amherst led 46-22 at half-time.

GOLDEN BEARS MEET AMHERST COLLEGE IN PIONEER VALLEY HOOP CLASSIC

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England College will meet Amherst College at 6:00 p.m. Friday (Dec. 5) in an opening round game of the Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic at Blake Arena on the Springfield College campus. Host SC will meet Westfield State College at 8.

Saturday, WNEC will play Westfield State at approximately 8:00 p.m. following the SC-Amherst contest that begins at 6.

Western New England College has a 1-2 record following a 72-68 loss at Fitchburg State College on Tuesday (Dec. 2).

Injuries are starting to stake their toll on the Golden Bears.

Junior forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) is expected to be out of action until January with a foot injury. Charbatji, started the first three games and was averaging 10.0 points and 3.7 rebounds before his injury forced him to the sidelines.

Sophomore forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) also has a foot injury that has limited him to only two minutes in one game. Last year he averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Junior reserve guard Jeremy Sternstein (Ithaca, NY) is out indefinitely with a broken collarbone.

Senior center Dyshawn Thames (Manchester, CT) leads the Golden Bears in scoring (12.3) and rebounding (6.7) in his first year on the squad. He is a transfer from Springfield College.

Sophomore point guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) is averaging 11.7 points while shooting 52.2% from the field.

"We're excited to play in the tournament," says sixth-year coach Doug Pearson. "This will be a great experience for our team members to see some valuable playing time."

Western New England College opens its home season at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday (Dec. 9) against Anna Maria College.

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003
Fitchburg State 72, WNEC 68

FITCHBURG, Mass. - Matt Costello and Dan Largesse each scored 15 points to lead Fitchburg State College to a 72-68 victory over Western New England College.

Senior center Dyshawn Thames (Manchester, CT) and sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) led the Golden Bears with 11 points while junior forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) contributed 10 points.

Fitchburg State (3-2) out-rebounded WNEC (1-2) by a 59-33 margin. Both teams struggled at the foul line with the Golden Bears making only 14-of-25 shots while the Falcons were 16-for-30.

CHRIS GERBER AND FRED REDEKER NAMED ASSISTANT MEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Chris Gerber and Fred Redeker have been named assistant men's basketball coaches at Western New England College.

Gerber, a native of Glenmont, New York, coached three years at South Hadley High School serving as both the head freshman coach and varsity assistant coach. He also was an assistant coach of the 2002 Bay State Games gold medal winning Scholastic Boys Team. Gerber is a 2002 graduate of Springfield College where he earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education. He is pursuing a master of education degree in physical education, with a concentration in athletic administration, at Springfield.

Redeker, a native of Amherst, is serving as a volunteer assistant coach as part of his course requirement as a senior sport management at the University of Massachusetts. Last year he was the boys' junior varsity coach at Mohawk Trail Regional High School in Shelburne Falls.

JON GODBOUT NAMED TO ECSU SULINSKI MEMORIAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England College sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) was selected to the Eastern Connecticut State University Sulinski Memorial All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.0 points while shooting 60% (9-15) from the field. He had 14 points in a win over Colby College and 10 points in a loss against Eastern Connecticut in the championship game. Godbout is an accounting major.

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2003
Eastern Connecticut 69, WNEC 59
(ECSU Nancy Sulinski Memorial Tournament)

WILLIMANTIC, Conn . - Eastern Connecticut State University raced to an early 13-2 lead and never looked back in posting a 69-59 victory over Western New England College in the championship game of the ECSU Nancy K. Sulinski '76 Memorial Tournament.

Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) and jjunior guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) each scored 10 points for the Golden Bears (1-1).

Godbout was selected to the All-Tournament Team after scoring 24 points and shooting 60.0% from the field in two contests.

Friday, Nov. 21, 2003
WNEC 84, Colby 76
(ECSU Nancy Sulinski Memorial Tournament)

WILLIMANTIC, Conn . - Senior center Dyshawn Thames (Manchester, CT) and junior forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) had scored 18 points to lead Western New England College to an 84-76 victory over Colby College in an opening game of the Eastern Connecticut State University Nancy K. Sulinski '76 Memorial Tournament.

Junior guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) added 14 points while sophomore guard Matt Gigliello (Monroe Township, NJ) contributed 11 points off the bench.

This was WNEC's first win over Colby in three meetings and only its seventh victory in 51 games over a NESCAC opponent.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE READY TO CHALLENGE FOR 2004 GNAC TOURNAMENT CROWN

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - After advancing to the semifinals of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament the last two years, Western New England College hopes to again establish itself as one of the top teams in the conference this season.

WNEC, 16-11 last year, won back-to-back conference titles in 2000 and 2001 in gaining a spot in the NCAA Division III Championship.

"We are looking to challenge for the conference title and return to the NCAAs," says sixth-year coach Doug Pearson.

Despite losing GNAC Player-of-the-Year Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) and all-time assists leader and All-GNAC performer Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) - both 1,000-point scorers Ð Pearson feels his team could have "a very competitive year."

Western New England College has two of the top players in the conference in junior forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) and sophomore guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT). Charbatji averaged 12.3 points in 25 games (21 starts) while Godbout started 26 of 27 contests averaging 7.8 points and 3.0 rebounds.

Senior co-captains, guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT)) and forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) will be counted on to provide the leadership. Toney averaged 7.4 points in 27 games (9 starts) and had a team high 41 three-pointers.

Another player to watch is sophomore forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) who enjoyed a solid rookie campaign averaging 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 27 games (2 starts).

Also back are junior guards Sean Mahoney (Wilbraham, MA) and Jeremy Sternstein (Ithaca, NY), sophomore guard Matt Gigliello (Monroe Township, NJ), and sophomore forward Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT).

The seven new players on the team are senior center Dyshawn Thames (Manchester, CT), junior center Mike Cutler (Amherst, MA), junior guard Chris Harris (Manchester, CT), freshman center Malik Champlain (Norwich, CT), and freshmen forwards Ed Natti (Lisbon, NH), Peter Stathakis (North Attleboro, MA) and Deon Thomas (Albany, NY).

"With Godbout at the point and Thames in the post, we will have two of the best players in those positions in the conference," said Pearson. "We should be strong throughout the lineup by the end of the season. The GNAC gets stronger every year with as many as seven or eight top programs. It should be a fun and challenging year."

WNEC opens its season against Colby College in the opening round of the Eastern Connecticut Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, November 21.

Items of Interest: Charbatji has been slow to recover from off-season foot surgery, but should be at full strength for the season openerÉ Sternstein broke his collarbone in a scrimmage against Elms College on November 8 and is out indefinitelyÉ Thames is a transfer from Springfield College while Cutleis a transfer from SUNY New PaltzÉ Harris is the son of former Western New England College great Peter Harris (now the director of admissions at Manchester Community College) who was inducted in the WNEC Downes Athletic Hall of Fame in OctoberÉ Pearson has an 88-46 record that is the highest winningest percentage (65.7) in the program's history.

KRIS HEBERT NAMED WNEC MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 27, 2003) — Basketball captain Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was named the Western New England College Male Senior Scholar Athlete-of-the-Year Sunday at the school's Honors Convocation.

Hebert is an accounting major with a 3.60 cumulative grade-point-average. In March he was named to the Verizon Academic District 1 College Division Team.

A forward, Hebert was the Co-Player-of-the-Year in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) after leading the Golden Bears in scoring (20.4 avg.) and rebounding (7.5). He also was selected to the All-GNAC First Team, the GNAC All-Tournament Team, and the ECAC New England Division III All-Star Team. Hebert finished his career with 1,004 points for 16th place on the all-time WNEC scoring list.

Western New England College posted a 16-11 record for its fifth consecutive winning season and advanced to the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament.

Western New England College Winter Sports Banquet
Saturday, March 29, 2003
List of Award Recipients

Men's Basketball
Most Valuable Player — Senior Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA).
Bill Downes Coaches Award for Hustle and Desire — Senior Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA).
Rookie-of-the-Year Award — Freshman Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT).

KRIS HEBERT VOTED TO d3HOOPS.COM NORTHEAST TEAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mar. 18, 2003) — Awards keep rolling in for Western New England College senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) who was named to the d3hoops.com All-Northeast Region Second Team on Tuesday.

First Team recognition went to Michael Crotty (Williams), Sean Fleming (Clark), Steve Zieja (Amherst), Kanem Johnson (Wesleyan), and Jed Johnson (Maine Maritime).

Joining Hebert on the Second Team were Nick Pelotte (Plymouth State), Shawn Jones (Westfield State), Patrick Glover (Johnson State), and Matthew Brennan (Anna Maria).

Earlier this month, Hebert was selected as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Co-Player-of-the-Year.

SENIOR KRIS HEBERT NAMED GNAC CO-PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR

Hebert and Mike O'Connor also gain All-GNAC recognition

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mar. 3, 2003) — Western New England College senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was honored Monday as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Co-Player-of-the-Year. Hebert shared the award with Rob Hennigan of Emerson College.

Hebert was named to the All-GNAC First Team after being a third squad selection last year. A team co-captain, Hebert led the Golden Bears in scoring (20.5 avg.) rebounding (7.4), and blocked shots (31), and was second in field-goal percentage (51.2). He also shot 75.7% from the foul line.

Hebert passed the 1,000-point mark in his final game against Albertus Magnus College on February 28. He totaled 1,004 career points (16th on the school's all-time list). An accounting major, Hebert was selected to the Verizon Academic District 1 College Division Team and the GNAC All-Tournament Team.

WNEC senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) was voted to the All-GNAC Second Team for the second consecutive year. A team co-captain, O'Connor was first on the squad in both assists (5.1) and steals (1.8), second in free-throw percentage (78.5), and third in scoring (10.0). He set a school record for career assists (480) and passed the 1,000-point mark in scoring against Emerson, finishing with 1,025 career points (13th on the school's all-time list). O'Connor is a sport management major.

Western New England College posted a 16-11 record this winter for its fifth consecutive winning season under Coach Doug Pearson. The Golden Bears placed third in the GNAC during the regular season with a 12-6 mark and advanced to the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament for the second straight year.

Friday, Feb. 28, 2003
GNAC Tournament (semifinals)
Albertus Magnus 85, WNEC 79

Kris Hebert nets 1,000th career point in final game

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior guard Xzavier Williams (New Haven, CT) scored 22 points and sophomore forward Tim Russell (Burlington, CT) added 21 points to lead No. 2 seed Albertus Magnus College past host No. 3 seed Western New England College, 85-79, in a semifinal game of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

Senior center Jayson Douthwright (Naugatuck, CT) had 13 points and 17 rebounds for the Falcons (18-8) who scored 12 of their final 14 points from the foul line in the final 2:30. Sophomore forward Sharod Blizzard (Waterbury, CT) chipped in with 13 points.

WNEC senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) had a game-high 29 points with 11 rebounds and became the 16th player in school history to pass 1,000 points . Hebert now has 1,004 points.

Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) added 13 points and senior forward Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA) 10 points for the Golden Bears (16-11).

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003
GNAC Tournament (quarterfinals)
WNEC 79, Suffolk 62

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) led four players scoring in double figures with a season high 20 points as Western New England College defeated visiting Suffolk University, 79-62, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament quarterfinal game.

The Golden Bears, seeded third, improved their record to 16-10 with their fifth consecutive victory. The Rams, seeded sixth, finish their season with a 12-14 mark.

Freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) added 15 points while senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) had 12 as did sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA).

WNEC led only 33-30 at half-time, but outscored Suffolk by a 46-32 margin in the second half.

Suffolk senior guard Tom Carey led four Rams scoring in double figures with 14 points.

MIKE O'CONNOR GAINS WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK AWARD

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Feb. 25, 2003) — Senior co-captain Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) was honored Tuesday as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

O'Connor, a guard, scored 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and five steals in a victory over Johnson & Wales University and 13 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and three steals in a win over Emerson College. O'Connor passed the 1,000-point mark against Emerson becoming the 15th player in school history to reach the milestone.

A sport management major, O'Connor holds the school record for career assists (468). He is averaging 10.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 25 games.

KRIS HEBERT AND JIM BAYNE RECEIVE GNAC HONORS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Feb. 25, 2003) — Western New England College senior forward (and team co-captain) Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was named the GNAC Player-of-the-Week on Tuesday. He averaged 28.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in two games while shooting 50% from the field (17-34). Hebert had 32 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Johnson & Wales University, and 24 points with eight rebounds in a victory over Emerson College.

Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) was selected the GNAC Rookie-of-the-Week after averaging 14.5 points and 5.0 rebounds coming off the bench while shooting 100% (12-for-12) from the field. He had 15 points (6-6 FG) and six rebounds vs. Johnson & Wales, and 14 points (6-6 FG) and four rebounds against Emerson.

Monday, Feb. 24, 2003
WNEC 82, Rivier 66

NASHUA, N.H. — Visiting Western New England College completed its regular season with an 82-66 victory over Rivier College. Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) again led the Golden Bears with 23 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes.

Coach Doug Pearson went to his bench early and often as every player saw at least seven minutes of action.

Freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) added 11 points while sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) returned to the lineup after missing two contests to score 10 points coming off the bench. Senior forward Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA) pulled down a career high 12 rebounds.

WNEC improved its record to 15-10 after winning its fourth straight game. The Golden Bears finished third in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a 12-6 mark.

SENIOR CO-CAPTAIN KRIS HEBERT NAMED TO VERIZON ACADEMIC DISTRICT 1 TEAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was named Thursday (Feb. 20) to the Verizon Academic District 1 College Division Men's Basketball Team.

Hebert, a team co-captain, is an accounting major with a 3.60 cumulative grade-point-average. His name now will be placed on the national ballot with the Verizon Academic All-America Team scheduled to be announced on March 6.

Hebert leads the Golden Bears in scoring (20.4 avg.), rebounding (7.5), and blocked shots (29), and is shooting 50.4% from the field and 75.9% from the foul line.

Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003
WNEC 95, Emerson 79

Mike O'Connor joins Golden Bears 1,000-point club

BOSTON, Mass. — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) continued his torrid scoring with 24 points and senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) had 13 points, including the 1,000th of his career, to lead Western New England College to a 95-79 victory over Emerson College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest played at Simmons College.

Hebert has scored 123 points in his last four games while O'Connor (1,009 points) is the 15th player in school history to reach the 1,000 mark.

Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) chipped in with 17 points while freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) had 14 points. Bayne made all six shots from the field and is 12-for-12 in his last two contests.

"Gerry Toney gave us a big left when he made a couple of important baskets in the second half," said WNEC coach Doug Pearson. "Kris Hebert played another solid game and Mike O'Connor is a special player and it was nice to see him hit the 1,000-point mark."

The win not only knocked Emerson out of the GNAC Tournament, but also assured WNEC of a home game in the first round of the playoffs that begin Wednesday at campus sites.

WNEC improves its record to 14-10 and 11-6 in the GNAC. The Golden Bears have won five of their last six contests.

Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003
WNEC 95, Johnson & Wales 89

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) scored 32 points for his third straight 30-point performance to lift Western New England College to a hard-fought 95-89 win over visiting Johnson & Wales University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC).

Hebert, who has totaled 99 points in his last three outings, also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out three assists.

Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) made all six shots from the field and finished with 15 points and six rebounds off the bench. Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) had one of his best games of the season with 14 points and five assists. Senior forward Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA) chipped in with 12 points and five 'boards.

Senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) had 13 points to give 996 for his career. He also had nine assists and five steals.

WNEC (13-10, 10-6 GNAC) led 47-35 at half-time and by 20 at 63-43 with 14:29 left before the Wildcats chipped away at the lead to pull within five at 88-83 with 2:19 remaining.

Mazzarella followed with a basket at the 2:06 mark and the Golden Bears made four free throws in the 1:41 to seal the win and keep alive its hopes for a home game in the first round of the GNAC Tournament that begins on Wednesday, February 26.

KRIS HEBERT NAMED TO NATIONAL d3hoops.com TEAM-OF-THE-WEEK

Hebert also named GNAC Co-Player-of-the-Week

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior co-captain Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA — Chicopee High School) was named Wednesday (Feb. 19) to the national d3hoops.com Team-of-the-Week.

He also was selected the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Co-Player-of-the-Week with Rohan Russell of Johnson & Wales University on Thursday (Feb. 20).

Hebert, a 6-5 forward, averaged 33.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in a 1-1 week while shooting 60.5% from the field (23-38) and 85.0% from the foul line (17-20).

An accounting major, Hebert had a career high 36 points in a 101-94 double overtime loss against Southern Vermont College. He totaled 31 points in a 78-53 win over Norwich University. Hebert also had four steals and four blocked shots against Southern Vermont and four steals against Norwich.

Hebert leads the Golden Bears in scoring (19.7 avg.), rebounding (7.4), and blocked shots (28). He is shooting 50.5% from the field and 77.4% from the field.

Western New England College (12-10, 9-6 GNAC) hosts Johnson & Wales University at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 20).

Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003
WNEC 78, Norwich 53

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) scored 31 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead Western New England College to a 78-53 victory over visiting Norwich University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.

Hebert, who scored a career high 36 points in a 101-94 double loss to Southern Vermont on Tuesday, made 14-of-24 shots from the field and had four steals with one blocked shot.

WNEC trailed 27-25 at half-time, but outscored Norwich 53-26 in the second half. The Golden Bears used a 10-0 run to a take a 54-36 lead on a basket by Hebert with 11:42 remaining in the game to break the game open.

Senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) chipped in with nine assists while freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) and freshman forward Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT) each scored nine points.

WNEC improves its record to 12-10 and 9-6 in the GNAC. Norwich falls to 12-9 and 9-7.

Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003
Southern Vermont 101, WNEC 94 (2ot)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Despite a career-high 36-point performance by senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA), Western New England College dropped a disappointing 101-94 double overtime decision to visiting Southern Vermont College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.

The Golden Bears battled back from a nine-point deficit with 12:25 remaining in the game to go ahead 74-71 following two free throws by senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) with 2:35 left.

Hebert (9-of-14 from the field, 15-18 from the foul line) made two free throws for a 77-75 margin with 22 seconds left before Sean Key (29 points) made a pair of charity tosses with 6.8 seconds remaining to send the game into the first extra session.

With Southern Vermont leading 85-83 with 1:04 left, O'Connor made a lay-up and Hebert again followed with two free throws to give WNEC a 87-85 margin with 6.6 seconds remaining.

Sean Ezell (18 points) took the in-bounds pass and drove down court where he made a lay-up with 0.3 seconds left to send the game into the second session.

Key scored the first five points to give the Mountaineers a 92-87 lead before freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) hit a three-pointer to pull the Golden Bears within 92-90 at the 3:51 mark. WNEC, however, made a couple of turnovers down the stretch and Southern Vermont made four free throws in the final 22.7 seconds to avoid the upset.

O'Connor finished with 15 points as did sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA). Senior forward Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA) added 12 points.

Lydale Waller led Southern Vermont (16-5) with 30 points. The Mountaineers sit atop the GNAC standings with a 12-2 mark.

WNEC falls to 11-10 overall and 8-6 in the conference.

STERLING SCANLON NAMED WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

Kris Hebert gains spot on weekly GNAC honor roll

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Feb. 11, 2003) — Freshman Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT) was honored Tuesday as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Scanlon, a forward, came off the bench to average 10.7 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 61.1 per cent (11-for-18) in three games. He tied his season high with 15 points after making 5-of-7 three pointers in a win at Emmanuel College.

A sport management major, Scanlon also had 13 points and a season best eight rebounds in a victory at Daniel Webster.

Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was named to the weekly Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) honor roll on Monday (Feb. 10).

Hebert, an accounting major, averaged 17.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in three games. He had 21 points at Albertus Magnus College and 24 points at Daniel Webster College in back-to-back performances.

Hebert leads the Golden Bears in scoring (18.3 avg.) and rebounding (7.4).

Saturday, Feb. 8, 2003
WNEC 81, Emmanuel 65

BOSTON, Mass. Ð Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) scored 19 points coming off the bench and sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) added 18 points to lead visiting Western New England College to an 81-65 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over Emmanuel College.

Bayne, who made 7-9 shots from the field, also contributed seven rebounds and five blocked shots.

WNEC improved its record to 11-9 overall and 8-5 in the conference.

The Golden Bears also received a big lift from two other reserves Ñ freshman forward Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT) who scored 15 points (5-7 on three-pointers) in 14 minutes and senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT), who had 10 points (5-8 from the field) and three assists.

Senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) scored only two points, but had four assists to become WNEC's all-time leader with 434 breaking the old mark of 431 set by Tom Dobranski (1976-80).

The road victory was also important for WNEC who remains in third place in the GNAC entering the final two weeks of the regular season. The top four squads earn home-court advantage in the GNAC Tournament that begins on February 25.

Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003
WNEC 105, Daniel Webster 78

NASHUA, N.H. — Western New England College hit the century mark for the second time this season against Daniel Webster College as senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) scored 24 points in the 105-78 victory.

Freshman forward Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT) added 13 points and a career high eight rebounds while senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) contributed 12 points.

The Golden Bears led 60-37 at half-time and shot 50 per cent from the field (39-for-78).

WNEC improves its record to 10-9 and 7-5 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003
Albertus Magnus 85, WNEC 69

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — With head coach Doug Pearson missing the first game of his career, Western New England College dropped an 85-69 decision at Albertus Magnus College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.

Assistant coach Bernie Mulligan directed the Golden Bears while Pearson remained at home with the flu.

Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) led WNEC with 21 points while senior guard Mike O'Connor (Framingham, MA) added 11 points and five assists.

Western New England fell back to the .500 mark at 9-9. The Golden Bears are 6-5 in the GNAC.

JON GODBOUT SELECTED AS THE WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

Kris Hebert named to weekly GNAC honor roll

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Feb. 4, 2003) — Freshman Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) was honored Tuesday as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Godbout, a guard, scored 11 points and had a career high 10 assists in a 102-79 victory over Suffolk University. A sport management major, he is averaging 7.5 points and 2.5 assists while shooting 47.7 per cent from the field and 80.6 per cent from the foul line.

In other news, senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was named to the weekly Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) honor roll. He averaged 16.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in a 2-1 week while shooting 59.4 per cent (19-320 from the field and 81.8 per cent (18-22) from the foul line. An accounting major, Hebert is sixth in the conference in scoring (18.5 avg.) and fourth in rebounding (7.9).

Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003
WNEC 102, Suffolk 79

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Ð Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) led five players scoring in double figures with 22 points as Western New England College defeated visiting Suffolk University, 102-79, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game.

The Golden Bears improved their record to 9-8 overall and 6-4 in the conference. The Rams fall to 6-10 and 4-5.

Suffolk, which defeated WNEC 86-74 on January 11, made 11 of first 15 shots to take a 29-15 lead at the 11:56 mark of the first half. WNEC came back and scored 12 points in a 2:20 span to tie the contest at 34 following a three-pointer by freshman forward Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT) with 6:57 left before half-time. WNEC led 46-45 at half-time.

With the score tied at 56 three minutes into the second half, WNEC broke the game open with a 25-9 run over the next eight minutes for an 81-65 advantage. The Golden Bears made five straight three-pointers in that span.

Scanlon finished with 15 points after coming off the bench to make 5-of-7 shots, including all five three-pointers. Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) contributed 13 points while senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) had 12 points. Freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) added 11 points and a career high 10 assists.

WNEC shot 63.3% (38-68) from the field and 63.2% (12-19) from three-point territory. The Golden Bears also tied the school record for treys in a game set on January 23 against Daniel Webster College.

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003
WNEC 87, Norwich 80

NORTHFIELD, Vt. — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Western New England College to an 87-80 win over Norwich University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference game.

Hebert scored 20 of his 29 after half-time, and the Golden Bears made 22 of 24 free throws in the second half, including 14 in a row in the final 3:47.

Norwich jumped out to a 10-2 lead to start the game and the Cadets held a 26-16 advantage with 9:21 left in the first half.

WNEC (8-8, 5-4 GNAC) used a 15-2 run, fueled by seven points from Hebert, to grab 31-28 lead at the 5:36 mark, and the two clubs went to the locker room tied at 36-36.

The game's final tie was at 48 with 14:58 left, before the Golden Bears pulled away with a 11-4 spurt over the next 6:32 to take a 60-52 lead.

Norwich (9-7, 6-4 GNAC) cut the Bears lead down to 68-65 with 4:17 left. With the Cadets trailing 72-68 with 2:10 left, Hebert drilled a three pointer as the shot clock was about to expire to boost the Golden Bears lead back to five points.

WNEC then connected on 12 straight free throws to preserve the win.

Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, Mass.) added 24 points (on 10-12 shooting from the floor) and seven rebounds. Senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) contributed 12 points

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003
Southern Vermont 89, WNEC 68

BENNINGTON, Vt. Ð Southern Vermont College raced to a 48-27 half-time lead and coasted to an easy 89-68 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win over visiting Western New England College.

Senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) and freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) each scored 10 points for the Golden Bears who fell to 7-8 and 4-4 in the conference.

Southern Vermont (11-4) leads the GNAC with a 7-1 mark.

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2003
WNEC 78, Rivier 66

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Ð Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) led five players scoring in double figures with 18 points as Western New England College defeated visiting Rivier College, 78-66, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game.

Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) contributed 18 points (15 in the second half), senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) 13, freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT), 12, and senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT), 11.

Hebert also pulled down nine rebounds while O'Connor dished out six assists.

Rivier led 34-33 at half-time and 45-41 with 13:17 left in the game before WNEC went on a 17-6 run for a 58-51 lead following a free throw by Hebert with 7:46 left. The Raiders pulled within three at 63-60 with 3:43 remaining before the Golden Bears pulled away down the stretch.

WNEC evened its record at 7-7 and went to 4-3 in the GNAC.

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2003
WNEC 103, Daniel Webster 65

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Jan. 25, 2003) — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) continued his fine play with 17 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes as Western New England College rolled to an easy 103-65 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over visiting Daniel Webster College.

WNEC (6-7, 3-3 GNAC) set a school record with 12 three-pointers, breaking the old mark of 11 set against Castleton State College in 1999.

All 13 players scored for the Golden Bears as the reserves combined for 59 points.

Senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) had 13 points and five assists, sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA), 11 points, freshman guard Matt Gigliello (Monroe, NJ), career high 11 points, and sophomore guard Sean Mahoney (Wilbraham, MA), career high 10 points and five assists.

Junior forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) had a season high 10 rebounds.

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2003
Emerson 80, WNEC 74

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Jan. 23, 2003) — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) scored 24 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds, but Western New England College fell to visiting Emerson College, 80-74, in a hard-fought Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.

Senior point guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) contributed 13 points while senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) had a season high 12 points off the bench.

Emerson led 40-34 at halftime before the Golden Bears came back to take a 62-60 lead on two free throws by sophomore guard Jeremy Sternstein (Ithaca, NY) with 7:24 remaining.

The Lions went on a 13-3 run over the next four minutes and the Golden Bears never got closer than three points down the stretch.

WNEC (5-7, 2-3 GNAC) outscored Emerson 28-24 from the field, but the Lions made 23-of-33 foul shots while the Golden Bears were only 13-of-18 from the charity stripe.

ANTHONY CHARBATJI NAMED WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Jan. 21, 2003) — Sophomore Anthony Charbatji (North Attleboro, MA) was honored Tuesday as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Charbatji, a sophomore forward, averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in a 2-1 week. He had a pair of double-doubles with 21 points/10 rebounds against Albertus Magnus College and 19 points/career high 11 rebounds at Johnson & Wales University.

Saturday, Jan. 18, 2003
WNEC 92, Johnson & Wales 73

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Coming off a tough six-point overtime loss to upstart Albertus Magnus College on Thursday, Western New England College needed a win to get back on the winning track in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

With senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) compiling career highs of 30 points and 21 rebounds, WNEC posted an impressive 92-73 road victory over Johnson & Wales University at the Harborside Recreation Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

Hebert made 12-of-23 shots from the floor and had 10 offensive rebounds as the Golden Bears improved their record to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in the conference.

Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (North Attleboro, MA), playing only a few miles away from his home, added a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) contributed 16 points and six assists.

Last year JWU (6-6, 4-3 GNAC) eliminated WNEC in the semifinal round of the GNAC Tournament held in Springfield.

Saturday, the Golden Bears bolted to a 61-37 lead after Hebert tallied 16 points in the opening 20 minutes. WNEC out-rebounded Johnson & Wales by a 55-32 margin and held the Wildcats to only 26.9 shooting from the field.

Thursday, Jan. 16, 2003
Albertus Magnus 86, WNEC 80 (ot)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior guard Xzavier Williams scored 25 points, including six in overtime, as visiting Albertus Magnus College ran its winning streak to four games with an 86-80 victory over Western New England College.

Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) had a career high 28 points for the Golden Bears who battled back from a 10-point second half deficit.

Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (North Attleboro, MA) added 21 points, including a long three-pointer at the buzzer that sent the game into the extra session.

Hebert and Charbatji each had 10 rebounds.

WNEC falls to 4-6 and 1-2 in the conference.

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003
WNEC 72, Emmanuel 55

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College jumped to an early 8-2 lead and never looked back in taking a 72-55 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over visiting Emmanuel College.

Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) contributed 11 points while sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) added 10 points.

WNEC out-rebounded Emmanuel by a 48-36 margin and held the Saints to only 33.9 shooting from the field. The Golden Bears improved their record to 4-5 and 1-1 in the conference.

Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003
Suffolk 86, WNEC 74

BOSTON, Mass. — Western New England College opened its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) season with an 86-74 loss at defending champion Suffolk University.

Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) led the Golden Bears with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

Freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) added 17 points and three rebounds. He made 6-of-8 shots from the field. including three treys, and both free throws. Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) contributed 11 points, three assists, and three steals. WNEC is now 3-5.

GOLDEN BEARS VISIT FIRST-GRADERS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Jan. 9, 2003) — Ten members of the Western New England College men's basketball team spent Thursday morning visiting three classes of first-graders at the Mile Tree Elementary School in Wilbraham as part of its community outreach program.

The players worked with the kids on basic basketball drills (ball-handling, dribbling, passing, and shooting), showed them the various warm-up exercises they perform before a game, signed autographs, and posed for pictures with their new friends.

Team members who made the trip were senior guard and team co-captain Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT), senior forward Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA), sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA), sophomore guards Sean Mahoney (Wilbraham, MA) and Jeremy Sternstein (Ithaca, NY), freshmen guards Matt Gigliello (Monroe, NJ) and Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT), freshmen forward Sean Stevens (Pittsfield, MA) and Dan Simon (Northboro, MA), and freshman team manager Nick Diorio (Cranston, RI).

"Our young men really enjoyed the interaction with the children and giving back to the community," said WNEC coach Doug Pearson. "We plan to go out to schools in the city later in the year as part of our 'Dream to Read' initiative."

Pearson's wife Pam Pearson, who is a teacher at Mile Tree Elementary, invited the players to the school.

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003
Amherst 72, WNEC 66

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior forward Steve Zieja scored 23 points, including the go-ahead basket with 2:47 remaining that broke a 62-62 tie, to lead visiting Amherst College to a 72-66 victory over upset-minded Western New England College.

The Lord Jeffs, ranked eighth in the national d3hoops.com poll, improve their record to 9-1.

WNEC (3-4) outscored Amherst 27-17 from the field, but the Lord Jeffs hit 33-of-45 shots from the foul line while the Golden Bears converted on only 6-of-8.

Senior guard Mike O'Connor led WNEC with 17 points and seven assists while senior forward Kris Hebert added 10 points and nine rebounds, and freshman forward Jim Bayne 10 points.

Junior guard Adam Harper contributed 13 points while sophomore forward Andrew Schiel had 12 points off the bench for Amherst. Junior forward Tim Jones also was in double figures with 11 points.

WNEC took its biggest lead at 60-57 on a three-pointer by freshman guard Jon Godbout with 5:13 left, but could manage only six points the rest of the way.

Still, the Golden Bears played their best game of the season, holding Amherst to only 17 field goals and 33.3% shooting from the field.

WNEC also out-rebounded Amherst by a 46-37 margin.

Monday, Jan. 6, 2003
WNEC 85, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 82

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) is improving and so is the Western New England College men's basketball team.

Bayne scored a career high 24 points to lead the Golden Bears to an 85-82 victory over host Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He made 9-of-14 shots from the field, all six free throws, and pulled down five rebounds.

Senior point guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) played his best game of the season with 15 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and only one turnover.

Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) contributed 12 points and freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) had 10 points as WNEC evened its record at 3-3.

Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003
WPI 73, WNEC 67

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Playing for the first time in 28 days, Western New England College dropped a 73-67 decision to visiting WPI.

The Golden Bears (2-3) rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half, but the Engineers hit a key three-pointer late in the game that gave them the lead they never relinquished.

Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) led WNEC with a career high 17 points and seven rebounds in his first varsity start while sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) had 14 points.

Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) contributed 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Saturday, Dec. 7, 2002
(Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic at Amherst)
Springfield 81, WNEC 68
Amherst 100, Westfield State 67

AMHERST, Mass. — Springfield College took control in the second half and went on to take an 81-68 victory over Western New England College in the second annual Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic. Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) led the Golden Bears with 25 points, including 10-of-10 from the foul line. Freshman guard Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT) added a career high 12 points while sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) had 11 points and a game high three three-pointers.

Friday, Dec. 6, 2002
(Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic at Amherst)
Amherst 77, Springfield 56
WNEC 89, Westfield State 81

AMHERST, Mass. — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) led a balanced scoring attack with 21 points to lead Western New England College to an 89-81 win over Westfield State College in the second annual Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic at Amherst College's LeFrank Gymnasium. Hebert made 7-of-12 shots from the floor while compiling seven rebounds and a pair of steals.

Freshman forward Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT) added a career high 15 points (including 7-of-7 from the field) and pulled down six rebounds. Sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (N. Attleboro, MA) added 12 points while freshman forward Brian Dumeer (Middletown, CT) had 10 points (4-of-6 from the field).

WNEC (2-1) shot a season high 55.4 per cent from the field and 80.8 per cent from the foul line.

JOHN GLEASON NAMED ASSISTANT COACH AT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Dec. 5, 2002) — John Gleason of Northampton, Massachusetts has been named assistant men's basketball coach at Western New England College.

Gleason is a 2002 graduate of Springfield College where he was a two-time New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-Star selection. Gleason played a guard position for the Pride and scored 1,059 points during his sensational four-year career. He holds the school records for career three-pointers (217), three-pointers in a season (91), and three-pointers in a game (10).

Gleason earned his bachelor of science degree in sport management and is pursuing a master of science degree in education at SC. He was a Dean's List student who was selected Who's Who Among University and College Students.

Gleason previously served as an intern with the Boston Celtics and Connecticut Pride of the Continental Basketball Association.

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002
WNEC 92, Fitchburg State 73

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Dec. 3, 2002) — Freshman forward Brian Dumeer (Middletown, CT) scored a career high 16 points off the bench to lead a balanced attack as Western New England College won its first game of the season with a 92-73 victory over visiting Fitchburg State College.

Senior point guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT) added 14 points for the Golden Bears (1-1) who had six players score in double figures.

WNEC led 51-37 at half-time before the Falcons closed within two at 57-55 with 11:33 left in the game. The Golden Bears broke the contest open by going on a 25-5 run over the next 5:33.

SENIOR FORWARD KRIS HEBERT SELECTED AS THE WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Dec. 3, 2002) — Basketball standouts Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) was honored Tuesday as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Hebert, a senior forward, scored a career high 26 points in a 97-88 loss against Wesleyan University in the season opener. He was 9-of-14 from the field and 8-of-12 from the foul line. Hebert also contributed a game high 12 rebounds with three blocks and two steals. A team co-captain, he is an accounting major.

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2002
Wesleyan 97, WNEC 88

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Nov. 27, 2002) — Senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) scored a career high 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, but Western New England College fell in its season opener against visiting Wesleyan University, 97-88.

WNEC LOOKS TO CHALLENGE FOR GNAC TOURNAMENT CROWN

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Nov. 8, 2002) — Western New England College's men's basketball team hopes to challenge for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title this season with four returning starters and a group of promising newcomers.

Last year the Golden Bears posted a 16-10 record for their fourth straight winning season under Coach Doug Pearson. WNEC also captured the regular season GNAC North title and advanced to the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament.

Although All-GNAC performer Andy Thornton graduated, Western New England College has two of the top players in the region in senior forward Kris Hebert (Chicopee, MA) and senior point guard Mike O'Connor (Farmington, CT). Hebert was second on the team in both scoring (12.3 avg.) and rebounding (6.2) last year while O'Connor averaged 12.1 points and 3.9 assists. O'Connell and Hebert will serve as team co-captains.

WNEC also has two other top players in senior guard Gerry Toney (West Hartford, CT) who averaged 10.2 points and sophomore forward Anthony Charbatji (Attleboro, MA) who averaged 9.9 points while shooting 48.6 per cent from the field in a successful rookie campaign.

Junior forward Mike McFarlane (Bridgeport, CT) averaged 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, but will miss the first half of the season with a stress fracture of his left leg. Senior forward Tony Mazzarella (Braintree, MA) and sophomore guard Jeremy Sternstein (Ithaca, NY) lend good depth off the bench.

There are nine new players on the Golden Bears roster. The two sophomores are guard Sean Mahoney (Wilbraham, MA) and forward Sean Stevens (Pittsfield, MA). The seven-member freshmen class consists of center Brian Dumeer (Middletown, CT), forwards Jim Bayne (Bristol, CT), Ryan McKeefrey (Guilford, CT), Sterling Scanlon (West Hartford, CT), and Dan Simon (Northboro, MA), and guards Matt Gigliello (Monroe, NJ) and Jon Godbout (Bristol, CT).

"We have a solid core of veterans and a large group of first-year players, so this will be a year of transition for us," said Pearson who has a 72-35 record (67.3%). "Our conference is stronger this season and we have a lot of work to do to build this team into a contender by tournament time. It should be a both a challenging and rewarding season for our program."

Western New England College opens its season at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 26 at home against Wesleyan University. The Golden Bears also will participate in the second annual Pioneer Valley Hoop Classic December 6-7 at Amherst College.

Western New England College will host the semifinals and championship game of the GNAC Tournament on Friday-Saturday, February 28-March 1.

BERNIE MULLIGAN NAMED ASSISTANT MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 3, 2002) — Bernie Mulligan of Tolland, Connecticut has been named assistant men's basketball coach at Western New England College.

Mulligan spent 17 years as an assistant coach at Eastern Connecticut State University helping the Warriors participate in three NCAA Division III Tournaments.

Mulligan served as the men's basketball coach at Manchester Community College for four years, leading his squad to two appearances in the New England Junior College Championships.

Mulligan also started the boys basketball programs at Tolland High School and was the school's head coach for seven seasons. He compiled over 100 victories and won a NCCC league title.

"Bernie is a veteran coach and outstanding leader," said WNEC coach Doug Pearson. "We are excited to have him as part of our coaching staff."

Western New England College posted a 16-10 record last year for its fourth consecutive winning season under Pearson. The Golden Bears placed first in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division with a 9-4 mark and advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament.

News from the 2003 Season

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