NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The visiting Castleton State men's basketball team used an explosive second half to pull away late from the MCLA Trailblazers and earn a 94-82 win on opening night for both teams.
The Spartans were led by Joe Alamprese's team best 19 point night.
The Trailblazers led 37-34 at halftime as both sides returned to the court after lenghty layoffs due to the ongoing pandemic. In the second half, MCLA led by as many as seven points and with 9:01 remaining, they led 70-63 after a pair of Tyler Showers free throws. From there, Castleton took over.
The Spartans used a 14-2 spurt to seize control and lead 77-72 following Alamprese's pair of free throws. MCLA answered with another bucket from Showers, but Castleton stemmed the tide with back to back triples, one from John Walsh and the other from Alex Blackmore, to take a commanding 83-74 lead with under four minutes remaining.
MCLA got within six after a Dylan Morris-Gray 3-pointer but could not get any closer as Castleton extended the margin to double digits and pulled away.
For MCLA, Morris-Gray led all scorers with 22 points. He was 7-15 from the floor in defeat. Drury graduate Hayden Bird ended with 16 points but did knock down three triples. Drury alum Reece Racette had a nice floor game for MCLA with 11 rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
The Trailblazers were hampered by 20 turnovers on the night and shot 39%.
MCLA is off until Tuesday when they travel to Norwich.
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Weekend Outlook: Get Outside This Holiday Weekend
iBerkshires Staff
Enjoy the peak of the fall season this weekend before the weather turns frosty!
Editor's Pick
Mt. Greylock Ramble/RambleFest
All Around Adams Oct. 9–12
Massachusetts' highest peak is the centerpiece of a weekend-long celebration of autumn in the Berkshires. A live performance by comedian Jason Salmon on Friday, Oct. 9, and the Big in the Berkshires local music showcase on Saturday, Oct. 10, both will kick off the weekend at The Adams Theater. This year's RambleFest celebration will be held Sunday, Oct. 11, from noon to 5 p.m. p.m. at the Adams Visitor Center, located at 3 Hoosac St. in Adams. This free event will feature live music, food and drink, vendors, children's activities, sight-seeing trains, and more. The 58th annual Mt. Greylock Ramble, a hike along the Cheshire Harbor Trail to the summit of Mount Greylock, will take place Monday, Oct. 12. This 6.6-mile, round-trip hike that is moderately strenuous and can take four to five hours, but the spectacular views at the 3,491-foot summit are worth the effort. The first 2,000 hikers will receive certificates of accomplishment. A free shuttle from the Adams Visitor Center to the trailhead runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with return shuttle until 4 p.m. Very limited parking will be available near the trailhead, so use of the shuttle is strongly encouraged.
"Celebrating Jewish Plays" features three readings presented over three evenings during the holiday weekend. Live poetry, speakers, musical performances, and more have been added to this year's celebration. Multishow weekend passes are also available; tickets are $30 to $100.
Closing Reception for 'Terra Mater'
Hotel Downstreet, 40 Main St., North Adams
6–8 p.m.
These nature-inspired ink, cyanotype, and mixed-media works by artists Joan Ryan, Livia Linden, Carissa Toomey and Alicia Canary are curated by Anna Salmeron.
'Goosebumps' Party
Lenox Library, Lenox
3:30–5 p.m.
As part of Banned Books Week, the library invites the public to celebrate the birthday of prolific author R.L. with a Goosebumps Party with crafts, food, and fun. Create neon marker art, slime, and listen to scary stories. Free for all ages.
American Stories Curator Talks
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
9:30 a.m.
Spend a morning with curators exploring Norman Rockwell Museum's expansive and thought-provoking exhibition commemorating 250 years of America. Each session will focus on a theme drawn from the exhibition. This program occurs before public opening hours, providing a unique opportunity for reflection and enjoyment of the exhibition.
Planetarium Show
Milham Planetarium,Williams College, Williamstown
8–9 p.m.
Weekly planetarium shows are held on Friday nights at the Milham Planetarium to see all that night sky has to offer, from mythology to astrophysics and cosmology.
The 13th president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts was formally installed on Saturday and challenged the college community to "love your students to success."
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The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners will hold a grievance hearing with the Tenants Association to discuss retaliatory actions allegedly committed by the executive director. click for more
The brisket contest actually started at about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday night, as some smokers — like the North Adams Fire Department — fired up their charcoal for the long cooking process.
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