Herkimer, NY (March 12, 2025) – The eighth seeded Northern Essex Community College men's basketball team fell late on Wednesday afternoon to ninth seeded Dallas College-Richland in the opening round on the NJCAA men's basketball tournament by a 73-68 final score. The Knights drop to 28-4 on the season and will conclude their season tomorrow morning with a consolation game against the loser of today's Mountain View-Herkimer game.

The game was back and forth throughout the opening half as neither team would lead by more than six at any point in the first 20 minutes. NECC would take a two point lead into the locker at halftime with the score 34-32.

Both teams would go on a run after the midway the point of the second, first with the Knights going ahead 56-45, before Richland went on a run of their own forcing the Knights to turn the ball over and take advantage of fast break points and eventually take a 62-59 lead with just over four minutes remaining.

Joendy Rosario (Lawrence) hit a three with 13 seconds remaining in the game to make it one possession game 71-68, but a pair of free throws from Richland sealed the final score at 73-68.

For the game, Alex Johnson (Worcester) finished with a team high 14 points and was joined in double figures by Javien Kirmil (Lowell) with 11 points.

Rosario and Karl Wolfgang (Douala, CM) both added nine points.

Alejandro Delgado (Haverhill) grabbed a team high 12 rebounds.

NECC shot 42% for the game compared to 41% for Richland.