Vikings' Season Comes to a Close in North Adams

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Salem State men's basketball closed their 2023-24 season on the road tonight as the Trailblazers of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) defeated them, 65-62. The Vikings finished the season with a final record of 12-13 overall and 5-7 in conference action and graduate lone senior, Jaden Castillo.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The teams traded blows early in the game, with the visiting Vikings twice getting the lead out to four points, the final time being 12-8 with 11:40 on the first half clock.
• MCLA responded with an 11-0 run capped by a Craig Williams three with 9:02 to play in the half.
• The Trailblazers held the lead for the remainder of the half, with Salem State getting to within a point at 26-25 when Wil Martinez converted a fast break layup off a defensive rebound from Michael Makiej. The teams then traded layups before another three from Williams finished the scoring in the half. Sending the teams into the locker room with MCLA up 31-27.
• The nip-and-tuck nature of the game continued into the second half. A dunk by the Trailblazers' Quentin Gittens to open the half, but it seemed that for every basket by the home team, the visitors would respond with one of their own. The pattern continued with the teams finding the game tied at 60 with 2:45 left in regulation. And again at 62 with 1:02 to go after Gittens and Salem's Liam Byrne exchanged layups.
• The game-winning shot came on a 20-foot jump shot by MCLA's Jaxen Potter with 27 seconds remaining.
• After a solid defensive stand by the Trailblazers, Gittens forced a turnover by Makiej and forced the Vikings to foul. Gittens hit the first of two free throws, and then one final opportunity for the visitors resulted in the game ending without a shot.
• Gittens finished with a team-high 21 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. The game was his 13th double-double of the season.
• Williams scored 18 points on the back of a 4-9 showing from beyond the arc. He also gathered eight boards and dished out two assists.
• Potter just missed a double-double, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds.
• A pair of Vikings finished with double-doubles. Makiej had a game-high 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Byrne had 13 points, fueled by a 7-9 showing at the charity stripe, and 14 boards.

Courtesy of MCLA Athletics