By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahamian Paul Greene helped the second seeded Southern New Hampshire University Penmen to their second consecutive Northeastern 10 Championship Tournament title.

Greene, in his senior year, scored 18 points, shooting 5-for-18 from the field and 1-for-3 from behind the three-throw line and 7-14 from the free throw line, to go along with three assists and a pair of rebounds and steals in their 72-71 overtime victory over the fifth-seed Pace University Setters.

The 6-foot, 6-inch forward also ended up with 13 points and had a career-high matching six assists and two steals. He finished with an average of 21.7 points per game and 12.7 rebounds to earn the most outstanding player and named to the All-Championship team. 

Senior Kurtis Henderson canned the game’s winning basket on a three-pointer with 0.3 seconds on the clock in the extra period on Saturday in front of an electric crowd at the Stan Spirou Field House. Henderson finished with six points, five steals and three assists. 

However, junior Royce Williams led the attack with 21 points, three assists and a pair of rebounds and steals and Jhaml Fricas also had 18 points with three rebounds.

Southern New Hampshire has now won 12 of its last 14, including nine of 10 and eight straight. 

SNHU improves to 29-16 (.644) in its 20th appearance in the NE10 Championship and captures its fourth NE10 title (2013, 2016, 2024) – as well as its second consecutive – in its seventh trip to the finals (2003, 2004, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2024).

Southern New Hampshire is the seventh repeat NE10 Champion and first since Bentley in 2007 and 2008. 

The Penmen are the first team to play in the NE10 finals in back-to-back years since the University of New Haven in 2019 and 2020, as well as the first program to host consecutive NE10 title tilts since Bentley in 2007 and 2008. SNHU captures back-to-back conference crowns for the first time since 1997-98 and 1998-98 when it was a member of the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC).

In addition to being named the 2025 NE10 Championship Most Outstanding Player, Greene also joined Williams and Fricas on the NE10 All-Championship team. 

Greene notched 21.7 points on 45.3 percent (24-53) shooting from the floor, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game over the three contests of the NE10 Championship. 

Greene’s double-double is his 20th of the season, as well as his 12th in the last 17 games, eighth in the last 10 and third straight.

With the NE10’s Automatic Qualifier in hand, the Penmen will await the seeding for the NCAA Championship, which took place late last night.Greene, a business major, is the son of Paul ad Shantel Greene. He is a former member of the St George’s Jaguars basketball team, coached by Darryl Sears.