Bates 76, Colby 55
at Lewiston, Maine

BATES MEN'S HOOPS COMPLETES SWEEP OF COLBY, 76-55

LEWISTON, Maine — Four Bates College players scored in double figures today as the Bobcats completed a season sweep of the visiting Colby College White Mules, 76-55, in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) conference men's basketball action.

The sweep of Colby was Bates' first since the 1966-67 season. The Bobcats clinch a share of their first CBB title under coach Joe Reilly and can win it outright if Colby defeats Bowdoin in Waterville next Saturday.

Bates (13-7, 1-4 NESCAC, 3-1 CBB) led for nearly the entire game except for a pair of brief one-point deficits, four minutes into the contest. Down 10-9 at the 15:24 mark, the Bobcats went on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes, taking a 21-10 lead on a thunderous slam dunk by senior forward Rommel Padonou (Libreville, Gabon), playing in his final regular home game.

Colby (13-7, 4-2 NESCAC, 0-3 CBB) came as close as three points in the first half, thanks mostly to a 12-2 advantage from the free throw line in the stanza. Bates took a 38-33 lead into the locker room on a foul shot by sophomore guard Matt LaPointe (Beverly, Mass.), who scored a game-high 10 points in the first.

The Bobcats took control early in the second half, hitting three straight 3-pointers to take a 47-37 lead just over three minutes in. Colby again cut the lead to five on a bucket by senior Sam Clark (Woolwich, Maine) at the 14:44 mark, but a 19-3 Bates run over the next five minutes put the game out of reach at 61-43.

For Bates, junior Ed Walker (Roxbury, Mass.) led all players with 17 points, while LaPointe had 16 points and seven assists. Junior guard Billy Hart (Haverhill, Mass.) and rookie sub Ramon Garcia (Haverhill, Mass.) each added 12 points. Padonou led all players with nine rebounds. The Bobcats hit a season-high 14 3-pointers, shooting 48 percent from behind the arc. Bates also enjoyed a 47-26 rebounding advantage.

Colby was led by 16 points from Clark and 10 from rookie Nick Loukes (Bangor, Maine), all in the first half.