Men’s Basketball Second-Half Rally Falls Short Against Lancers

Witherow Bass collects team-best 15 points for Falcons

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Fitchburg State men's basketball team staged a second-half comeback on Saturday afternoon, nearly erasing a 16-point deficit before falling to MASCAC rival Worcester State, 73-68, at Parkinson Gymnasium.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 68, Worcester State 73

Records: Fitchburg State (10-11, 4-6 MASCAC) | Worcester State (9-12, 7-3 MASCAC)

How It Happened.

The Falcons faced a difficult start as Worcester State built an early double-digit lead. However, Fitchburg State stayed in the fight thanks to the interior work of Tommy Engel-Chatten. The forward repeatedly cleaned up the glass for second-chance points, including a gritty putback layup to keep the Falcons within reach.

Off the bench, Kobe Witherow-Bass provided a much-needed spark for the Green and Gold. Witherow-Bass was aggressive in transition, scoring a pair of quick layups and drawing contact to go a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the first half. The Falcons went into the locker room trailing 39-28.

The Falcons emerged from the break with renewed defensive intensity. Joshua Jean Charles dominated the paint early in the second half, scoring three consecutive baskets and grabbing key defensive boards to ignite the transition game. The momentum shifted at the 15:07 mark when Engel-Chatten broke free for a dunk, cutting the deficit to five and forcing a Worcester State timeout.

Matthew Drayton kept the pressure on, knocking down a crucial three-pointer and a free throw to bring the Falcons within a single possession. The game turned into a back-and-forth battle, with Braeden White and Nicolas Von Zboray providing timely buckets to keep the score tied deep into the final minutes.

In the final stretch, the Falcons' defense forced several turnovers to stay alive. A series of layups by Jean Charles and Engel-Chatten brought Fitchburg State to within two points in the final minute. However, the Falcons were forced to foul to stop the clock, and the Lancers sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Inside the Numbers

• Witherow-Bass led the Falcons with 15 points off the bench
• Engel-Chatten and Jean Charles both pulled down 8 rebounds apiece
• Fitchburg State shot 25-66 (37.9%) from the field and (5-19) 26.3% from three-point range
• Worcester State went 27-70 (38.6%) overall and (5-19) 26.3% for beyond the arc
• The Lancers finished with a 49-48 margin on the glass

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Salem State.

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