Box Score
WATERVILLE, ME- Thomas (7-8, 4-7 NAC) stunned Castleton (9-9, 7-4) 92-91, in a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) men's basketball contest Friday night at Larry Mahaney Gymnasium.
The Terriers would start off the game with an electric dunk by Marquis Pollard (Philadelphia, Pa.), in a half where Thomas would not let Castleton have an advantage. The homeside would lead by as many as 16 in two occasions on threes by Franklin Salvador (Somerville, Mass.) with 1:57 remaining, and by Levi Barnes (Skowhegan, Maine) at the 1:20 mark.
The Terriers would finish the opening stanza leading 50-36, shooting 51.4% (19-37) from the court, while going 8-20 (40%) from downtown. Pollard had a team leading 11 points and a game high three steals in the first half.
For the visitors, Castleton shot 51.19% from the floor and 30% (3-10) from beyond the arc. Chris Barletta (Hazelton, Pa.) had a team high 11 points coming off the bench, while Mark Comstock (Rutland, Vt.) chipped in with six points and six boards.
Thomas would continue to add to the lead in the beginning of the second half, increasing their margin by 18 on three separate occasions. A 10-0 run by the Spartans at the 15 mark would decrease their deficit to seven, with two threes by Logan White (Hartford, Vt.). Minutes later Castleton would gain their first lead of the contest on a layup by Comstock.
In the later stages of the closing stanza, Castleton controlled the game and led by as many as nine with 5:57 remaining. With two minutes remaining Salvador would hit back to back three pointers for the Terriers to even the score.
Stanley Greene Jr. (Somerville, Mass.) would make the eventual game winning layup with 14 seconds remaining, followed by a huge block by Pollard on the other end with seconds remaining to secure the victory for Thomas.
Salvador would finish with a team high 18 points, while Pollard had a career high 17 to go along with nine boards. All of Thomas' starters would reach the double figure mark in scoring in the win. Overall the victors shot 46.5% (33-71) from the floor, while going 12-28 (42.9%) from beyond the arc.
Comstock had a double-double, scoring a game high 23 points and 12 rebounds in the loss for the Spartans. White and Barletta provided a spark off the bench with 20 and 19 points respectively. Castleton shot 52.2% (36-69) from the field and 26.9% (7-26) from downtown.
The Terriers will have a quick turnaround as they return to the hardwood tomorrow, hosting NAC opponent Green Mountain at 1pm. Thomas defeated the Eagles earlier in the season 104-97 in OT. Salavador has a season high 30 points in the victory. Thomas is 5-0 in the last five meetings against GMC, dating back to the 2010-11 campaign.
