Haverhill, MA (November 21, 2025) – Alex Johnson (Worcester) scored seven points in the final 90 seconds of the game on Friday night and the #9 Northern Essex Community College men's basketball team rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat the Virginia Peninsula Gators by a 77-74 final score.

After NECC went up 22-20 at the midway point of the first half VPCC went on 25 to nine run to close the half and the Knights trailed at halftime 45-31. The Knights ramped up the defensive pressure in the second half outscoring the Gators 49-29.

Johnson finished with a game high 19 points, 15 of which came in the second half. He was joined in double figure by Alejandro Delgado (Haverhill) with 12 and Joendy Rosario (Lawrence) added 10 points off the bench.

Delgado added 12 rebounds for the double-double. Cristian Moscat (Lawrence) had six steals for the Knights.

NECC returns to the court tomorrow when they return to conference play on the road at Springfield Tech.