MCLA Women Survive 3-Point Barrage, Beat Sage 87-81

By Jeffrey PuleriMCLA Sports Info
Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Playing a Friday night non-league game, the MCLA women's basketball team survived a second half three-point barrage from visiting Sage College in an 87-81 win. MCLA's Jen Wehner (Cooperstown, N.Y.) and Molly Broda (Southampton, Mass.) combined for 43 points in the victory. With the win, MCLA improves to 13-7, while Sage falls to 8-12.

The first half opened with MCLA in control early, taking a six-point advantage just five minutes into game (14-8). The Gators would battle back however to tie the game at 14 when Elizabeth Donk knocked down consecutive buckets. The remainder of the half saw MCLA take a small edge until Sage again rallied, this time taking a three point lead at 34-31 with two minutes to play.

A quick 6-0 spurt by the Trailblazers would give them a 37-34 edge into the locker room. MCLA would continue the run to start the second half scoring the first six to take a 43-34 advantage. After trading baskets, Broda would connect from deep giving the hosts their largest lead of the night at 48-39 with 16:04 to play.

Sage would cut the lead to three at 59-56 on Carlin DeMarinis' three pointer. MCLA would respond though, pushing the lead back to 11 at 72-61 with 6:36 remaining.

Donk and DeMarinis would trigger a 13-0 run for Sage as they accounted for all the points, including three from behind the arc. The spurt would give the Gators a 74-72 lead with just under four minutes to play.

MCLA turned the two-point deficit to an 80-74 lead using an 8-0 run to essentially put the game away. Senior Jade Prickett would tally six points during the decisive run. MCLA would go 7-8 from the line in the final minute of play to provide the final margin.

Wehner would finish her night with a double double, recording a game high 14 rebounds and seven blocks to go along with her team-high 22 points. Broda would finish with 21, including 16 in the second half. She would finish with three from behind the arc. Prickett would end the night with 12.

Sage received monster performances from Donk and DeMarinis, who both finished with 26 points. DeMarinis finished with seven 3-pointers in the game. Jessica Byerwalters added a double-double, notching 11 points and 10 boards. Sage shot 50 percent from 3-point land on the night.

MCLA is back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Westfield for a key MASCAC matchup.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Armed North Adams Man Arrested Following Domestic Standoff

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Matthew Parker, a 44-year-old North Adams man, is set to face multiple counts of attempted murder and weapons charges in Northern Berkshire District Court on Friday morning following an hours-long, armed standoff at a Houghton Street home.

The defendant is being arraigned for:

  • Domestic Assault and Battery
  • Assault with the Intent to Murder (3 counts)
  • Carrying a Firearm While Under the Influence of Alcohol (3 counts)
  • Possession of a hi-capacity firearm (4 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a hi-capacity firearm (2 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a firearm (6 counts)

According to a report, on June 10, at approximately 8:42 p.m., officers responded to 365 Houghton St. following a report of a domestic assault and battery. The caller said she and her husband had been involved in a physical altercation.

She said her husband was intoxicated, making suicidal statements about shooting himself, and had access to both a shotgun and a pistol.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with both the caller and Parker. During the encounter, Parker threatened to shoot officers before retreating into the home and refusing to exit.

Officers believed that Parker was armed.

To ensure public safety, police established a perimeter around the home and requested assistance from the Berkshire County Special Response Team (SRT) and North Adams Police crisis negotiators. The Brien Center was also contacted and promptly provided an emergency mental health clinician to assist with the incident.

Special Response Team personnel deployed drones to monitor the residence and provide aerial illumination. During the operation, officers saw Parker exit the house carrying a rifle. He pointed it at the drones, stated a report. Parker subsequently pointed the rifle toward several officers positioned behind their cruisers. After officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Parker returned inside the residence.

Trained crisis negotiators maintained communication with Parker for several hours in an effort to peacefully resolve the situation. At approximately 2 a.m., Parker ceased communication with negotiators.

Drone operators later observed Parker unconscious in a recliner on the first floor of the residence, with a rifle and shotgun on the floor nearby.

Members of the Berkshire County SRT then executed a coordinated operation. Diversionary devices were deployed through a window while an entry team simultaneously entered the home, secured the firearms, and took the defendant into custody.

A search warrant was executed after Parker was in custody. North Adams Police seized four shotguns, six rifles, two handguns, and thousands or rounds of ammunition from the home.

During the operation, one SRT member sustained a minor injury related to a less-lethal bean bag deployment. Parker also sustained non-life threatening injuries during the arrest and was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for medical evaluation.

"We thank the community for its patience and cooperation throughout this incident, particularly residents in the affected area who complied with temporary shelter-in-place requests," Police Chief Mark Bailey said.  "The North Adams Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the agencies that provided mutual aid and assisted by handling calls for service during this incident. We are especially grateful to the Berkshire County Special Response Team for its professional and decisive response, the Brien Center for the rapid deployment of a mental health clinician, and our crisis negotiators whose efforts helped maintain dialogue and contributed significantly to the safe resolution of this incident."

View Full Story

More North Adams Stories