Shanika Hines Scores 34 in MCC Win

FALL RIVER, MA – Shanika Hines (Manchester) scored 34 points as Manchester Community College beat Bristol CC 109-47 Tuesday night in Fall River, MA.

Hines was 6 for 9 from three-point range and 7 for 11 from the floor as MCC scored over 100 points for the second time this season. The NJCAA Division III Preseason All-American made both of her free-throws and is now 34 for 39 (82 %) on the season.

MCC held a 48-21 lead at halftime, pulling away with 10 unanswered points when the score was tied at 8 apiece.

“The girls responded well tonight,” Coach Peter Harris said. “They shot much better in the second half and played with a little more intensity, especially on defense.”

Katurah Andrews (East Hartford) had 21 points and Erika Murphy (Torrington) had 17 for the Cougars, who won their fifth straight. Amanda Colon (New Britain) had seven points and six rebounds.

Jhenel Franklin continued to distribute the ball extremely well, assisting on 14 baskets with 10 rebounds and nine points.

“Jhenel has an unbelievable knack for seeing something three seconds before anyone else does,” Harris said while working on stats on the team bus. “Her passes come very quickly at odd angles.”

Hines poured it on in the second half when she scored 27 of her 34 points and had five of her six threes.

“Shanika shot the ball so well tonight,” Harris said. “She is releasing the ball a little higher and it is going in with more consistency.”

MCC improves to 7-1 while Bristol CC, in its first season as a varsity program, drops to 2-6. The Cougars travel to New Hampshire Tech on Sunday, and then play UConn-Avery Point in Groton next Tuesday night at 7pm in a big Region XXI Division III showdown.