Wheaton College Tip-Off Classic Championship
Bates 67, Wheaton 55
at Norton, Mass.

MEN'S HOOPS CLAIMS WHEATON TIP -OFF CLASSIC TITLE
Bobcats down hosts, 67-55; Walker named MVP

NORTON, Mass. -- The Bates College men's basketball team claimed the title at the Wheaton College Tip-off Classic tonight with a 67-55 victory over the host Lyons. Senior forward Ed Walker (Roxbury, Mass.) was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

After taking five minutes for either team to get on the board, Bates (2-0) and Wheaton (1-1) traded leads in the first half before senior guard Billy Hart (Haverhill, Mass.) gave the Bobcats a four-point cushion, 30-26, with a buzzer-beater. Hart scored all of his seven points in the first half.

The Bobcats pulled away early in the second half, opening the frame with a 14-5 run to open a 44-29 lead. Junior forward CJ Neely (No. Easton, Mass.) had six points in that important stretch. Wheaton tried to climb back into the game by going to center Richard Henninger (Duxbury, Mass.), but the Lyons got no closer than four points the rest of the way.

Neely, who joined Walker on the all-tournament team, led the Bobcats with 14 points, while first-year player Brian Gerrity (Manchester, Maine) added 11. Walker took tourney MVP honors with a fine all-around performance, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while dishing a game-high five assists.