JOHNSON, Vt. - Johnson State College men's basketball held off Thomas College 87-84 on Saturday in a big North Atlantic Conference (NAC) win. The Badgers are currently 5-0 at home and hold a 5-6 record overall, 3-2 in the NAC.  Thomas College slips to 5-5 overall and 2-4  in the NAC.

Johnson placed five players in double-figures led by junior forward Bryan Hickey (Barre, Vt./Spaulding) who scored a career high 25 points and snagged 13 rebounds earning him his sixth double-double of the season. Junior Josh Reed (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) (pictured) and sophomore Ron Adrian (Schenectady, N.Y. / Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons) both tallied career highs with 17 points each.  Sophomore Asim Khan (Torrance, Calif./Torrance) contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Senior point guard Andy Bousono (Philadelphia, Penn./Nueva Esperanza) recorded 11 points, seven assists and five boards for the Badgers. 

Thomas also placed five players in double-figures and were led by senior guard Franklin Salvador (Somerville, Mass./Somerville High) contributing a game-high 26 points. Senior wing Jerrad DeVaughn (Brockton, Mass./Brockton High) put 14 points on the board for the visitors and grabbed six rebounds. Garen Manzo (Millinocket, Maine/ Stearns)  added 13 points while Levi Barnes (Skowhegan, Maine/ Skowhegan) and teammate Adam Carlsen (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills) had 11 apiece.  

Johnson grabbed control of action early and earned their biggest lead of the first half at 28-19 with 9:15 to play following a lay-up by Reed. The visitors would respond with an 10-0 surge to grab the lead at 29-28 with 6:35 remaining. Badgers would end up taking a 41-40 lead into the halftime break.

The Terriers would earn their biggest lead of the day at 60-50 following a 3-point field goal by Manzo with 11:10 remaining in the contest. Johnson answered with a 17-2 run capped by a Hickey 3-pointer as the shot clock expired giving Johnson 67-62 lead. The teams would swap leads several times over the next few minutes but the balanced Badger offense would prevail.

Johnson will travel to Green Mountain College on Tuesday for a 5:30pm NAC contest. Thomas hosts Husson Tuesday at 7:30pm for another NAC match.