DUDLEY, Mass.- The WPI men’s basketball team earned its fifth straight Worcester County Classic Title with a 93-64 win over Worcester State. The Engineers have won all five titles since the tournament’s inception in 2003. Senior Antoine Coleman (Everett, Mass.) was named MVP for the second straight year as he led a well-balanced effort by WPI with 13 points and six rebounds.

An 18-16 lead by Worcester State with 12:40 left in the first half proved to be its last as the Engineers went on to out-score the Lancers 46-24 in the second half. WPI also held a 24-12 advantage on the boards in the half as it finished with 51 for the game.

Worcester State was held scoreless in the opening 4:17 of the second as the Engineers broke the game open with 11 straight points for a 59-40 lead. A three by freshman Nichols Tsitsiliano (Worcester, Mass.) with 31 seconds left gave WPI its biggest lead of the game, 93-62, before Worcester State sophomore Kevin Gena (Lynn, Mass.) ended the game with a jumper for the 93-64 final.

Joining Coleman on the All-Tournament Team was junior Jerome Kirkland (Boston, Mass.), who had ten points in today’s win. Junior Adam Lirette (Dover, N.H.) posted the only double-double of game with ten points and ten assists with no turnovers. Junior NT Izuchi (Boston, Mass.) scored 13 points in 12 minutes off the bench for the Engineers as well.

Junior Elijah Sims (Worcester, Mass.) and senior Josh Barry (Sheffield, Mass.) both earned All-Tournament Team honors for Worcester State. Sims netted a game-high 21 points while Barry chipped in with three points, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Senior Will Spont (Bellingham, Mass.) added 17 points off 6 for 8 shooting and seven rebounds in today’s loss.

In the consolation game earlier in the day, Becker defeated host Nichols, 82-79. Junior Travis Suber (Springfield, Mass.) was named to the All-Tournament Team as he led Becker with 24 points while senior Ron Powers (Millville, Mass.) represented Nichols on the All-Tourney Team with 13 points in today’s loss..

WPI will play at Lasell on Tuesday while Worcester State will host UMass-Dartmouth. Becker will travel to Clark on Tuesday while Nichols will get a ten-day break, returning to action on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at Westfield State.

2007 Worcester County Classic Team Finishes
1-WPI
2-Worcester State
3-Becker
4-Nichols

MVP
Antoine Coleman-WPI

All-Tournament Team
Antoine Coleman-WPI
Jerome Kirkland-WPI
Josh Barry-Worcester State
Elijah Sims-Worcester State
Travis Suber-Becker
Ron Powers-Nichols