Monroe Leads MCLA Men Past Rivier

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Ki-Shawn Monroe scored a career best 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the MCLA men's basketball team to a convincing 92-69 win this afternoon over visiting Rivier in the Amsler Campus Center on Saturday.
 
In the opening half, the MCLA defense held Rivier to just 26% shooting while the home team converted on a sizzling 67% of their attempts. MCLA (5-4) led just 15-12 early on, but used a 16-3 spurt to increase the lead to 31-15 with 7:22 left in the half. The Trailblazers would continue the offensive onslaught and lead 53-28 at the half.
 
Chris Becker was outstanding in the opening half for MCLA. The center went 7-for-7 from the floor for 14 first half points. Ki-Shawn Monroe tallied 11 points and eight boards in the opening half of play. 
 
MCLA was never challenged in the second half as they cruised to victory.
 
Monroe was 7-10 from the floor and chipped in 4 assists and 6 steals.  Becker ended with 18 points. Hayden Bird came off the bench to score 16 points while Noah Yearsley added 13.
 
Rivier (2-7) was led by Issiah Chappell's game best 22-point night.  Rivier was held to just 33% shooting.
 
MCLA goes to Elms on Tuesday.
 
Women's Basketball
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Smith College's Katelyn Pickunka scored 18 points to lead the Pioneers to a runaway win over MCLA, 89-40.
 
Smith (7-0) left little doubt in this one as they jumped out to a 26-12 lead after one quarter and led 51-22 at halftime. After outscoring MCLA 25-8 in the third quarter, the game was never in doubt.
 
Pickunka was 6-7 from the floor in just 17 minutes of action. Dashelle Gleissner added 11 points for Smith.
 
The Pioneers shot 65% from the floor and held a sizable 39-19 rebounding edge.
 
MCLA (2-6) was paced by Drury graduate Brooke DiGennaro's season best 18-point effort. She was 6-for-11 from the floor and 3-5 from three point land.  Shannon Carney chipped in with 12 points.
 
MCLA is back in action on Tuesday when they head to Schenectady, N.Y., to face Union.
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Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have heaved a sigh of relief with the state's certification of free cash for the first time in more than three years.
 
The town's parade of employees through its financial offices the past few years put it behind on closing out its fiscal years between 2021 and 2023. A new treasurer and two part-time accountants have been working the past year in closing the books and filing with the state.
 
The result is the town will have $571,000 in free cash on hand as it begins budget deliberations. However, town meeting last year voted that any free cash be used to replenish the stabilization account
 
Some $231,000 in stabilization was used last year to reduce the tax rate — draining the account. The town's had minimal reserves for the past nine months.
 
Chairman Robert Norcross said he didn't want residents to think the town was suddenly flush with cash. 
 
"We have to keep in mind that we have no money in the stabilization fund and we now have a free cash, so we have now got to replenish that account," he said. "So it's not like we have this money to spend ... most of it will go into the stabilization fund." 
 
The account's been hit several times over the past few fiscal years in place of free cash, which has normally been used for capital spending, to offset the budget and to refill stabilization. Free cash was last used in fiscal 2020.
 
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