MCLA Men's Basketball Drops To Westfield State

By Jeffrey PuleriMCLA Sports Info
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Visiting Westfield State University made some key plays down the stretch and held on for a narrow 70-68 win over the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' men's basketball team on Tuesday.

With the win the Owls improve to 11-6 and hold onto the top spot in the league at 3-1. MCLA drops to 4-12 overall, 1-2 in the league.

Westfield pushed out to a commanding 61-50 lead with 6:40 to play following a layup from Matt Devine. MCLA would respond with a 12-0 run to take a one point lead at 62-61. Trailblazer Michael Young had six points in the run.

Westfield scored the next five to take a 66-62 lead with just 44 seconds remaining. A pair of Jamal Brown free throws for MCLA cut the lead in half, but the Owls Ryan White answered with a pair on the other end pushing the lead back to four.

With ten seconds to play, MCLA’s Young slashed to basket for two and was fouled. He would miss the ensuing free throw, however, and the hosts were forced to foul. Westfield’s Lee Vazquez missed the first before calmly sinking the second, extending the Westfield lead to 69-66.

The Owls decided to foul rather than allow MCLA to get off a three point shot. Young made both free throws slashing the deficit to just a point with five seconds left. After getting the ball inbounds to Devine, the Westfield junior was fouled. He made the first attempt before missing the second. Young’s desperation three at the buzzer was off the mark giving Westfield the narrow victory.


In the opening half, Westfield jumped out quickly on the Trailblazers leading 14-7 after five minutes of play. MCLA continually chipped away at the deficit, eventually taking their first lead at 24-23 on a Chris Harris layup with 7:16 remaining til halftime.  It was the only lead of the first half for MCLA until Bilal Shabazz banked home a three pointer at the buzzer to give the hosts a slim 34-31 lead at the half.

For MCLA, Young finished with a team high 15 points and 7 rebounds. Jamal Brown finished with 13 points, adding 7 boards as well.

Westfield was led Vazquez’ 18 points. Joining him in double figures was Ryan DeLosa with 13 points, Ryan White had 12, and Devine finished with 11 points. Devine also had a game high 9 rebounds and 5 blocks. The Owls were hampered by poor free throw shooting as they connected on just 21-38 attempts.

MCLA is back in action on Thursday when they travel to Framingham State University.
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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

 

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.)  The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.  

 

 

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

 

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few.  All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

 

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house.  New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house.  New paver patio in the back yard.

 

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

 

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

 

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

 

 

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

 

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

 

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

 

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

 

What do the current owners love about this home?

 

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

 

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

 

 

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

 

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.  

 

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

 

 

 

 

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