By Chris Granozio
It’s always fun when I can write about a unicorn. An extraordinary occurrence that had never happened before and likely never will again. Barton’s miraculous final 45 seconds vs. Winona State in the 2007 National Championship Game is the all-time champ, and most exhilarating event I’ve ever covered: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WzmQmz9Kdc,) in case you may have forgotten). Knowing full-well that nothing can ever measure up to that gold standard of D2 hoop highlights, one of the region’s feel-good stories this season – Post University – achieved its own super-rare feat, becoming the first team EVER to defeat perennial powers Bentley and St. Anselm in consecutive games by the slimmest of margins: one point (yes, I did the research on this myself!) I mean, even Halley’s Comet has “happened” more often.
The first part of this unheard-of combination materialized on Sunday afternoon in Waterbury, when Kyle Alcy’s baby hook off an offensive rebound with one second left proved the winning basket as the Eagles withstood Zach Laput’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left and held their collective breath as the reigning NE10 Player of the Year caught the final inbounds pass in the frontcourt and had a great look at a potential winning triple that bounced off the rim as time expired. It was Post’s first win in eight lifetime meetings vs. the Falcons, who almost exactly two years ago to the very day stole one as Mason Webb drilled the game-winner at the horn in overtime, from nearly the same spot on the Drubner Center floor, in a 72-71 stunner. Helping turn the tables this time were Alcy (12 points, 5-6 FG, seven rebounds) and Robert Sanders, whose 17-point performance led five Eagles in double figures. Kellen Bochenek nailed six 3-balls in 10 attempts enroute to a career-high 20 points for Bentley, which also saw Ivan Misic contribute 19 on 8-of-11 shooting. In a game that featured 11 ties, 12 lead changes and only one separation of more than two possessions (BU briefly led 27-20 with 7:46 to play in the first), the two clubs were never more than five points apart from one another the entirety of the uber-competitive second half.
Two days later in Manchester, the Eagles pulled another rabbit out of their hat, rallying from 19 down in the second half to stun St. Anselm, including a game-ending 10-0 flourish to take their only lead of the day, 69-68, on Deng Deang’s lay-up off a perfectly executed inbounds play with 3.5 seconds remaining. The Hawks – who were fronted by Tyler Arbuckle’s 23 points and nine rebounds in 40 minutes – constructed a 51-32 bulge nearly seven minutes into the final period and seemed poised to prevail, up 68-59 with two-and-a-half minutes to play before going cold. Deang – who finished with 20 points, 12 boards and four assists – scored the last two baskets (bracketing a Hawks sideline turnover) for Post, which won despite being outshot (45%-39%) and outrebounded (41-36), improving to 9-1 for the first time ever, and to a robust 6-1 vs. NE10 competition. Bol Akot chipped in with 15 points for the Eagles, who have now won four straight in the series after dropping the first 11 encounters. They’ve also won games this year by one, one, two, two (in OT), four, four (in OT) and five. Spoiler alert: Tim McCaffrey’s latest Musings column ranks Post #1 in the region. St. Thomas Aquinas is the only team with a better record at 11-1, but Post’s overtime win over the Spartans in Sparkill is the difference-maker to date. Head Coach Marc Kuntz told D2easthoops.org that “all these close games have made the kids feel comfortable in those situations.” We will all be watching to see if they can continue theismagic ride.
Give Me Liberty…
For the second time this season, a regional team upset a nationally-ranked club from another region. Last month. D’Youville shocked #24 Mercyhurst, and on Sunday at the Daytona Beach Shootout, Dominican took down #6 West Liberty (WV), which played in the national championship game last March. In a matchup of two teams ranked in the national Top 10 in scoring, the offenses didn’t disappoint. Seth Sharif-Brown produced 24 points in as many minutes off the bench for the Chargers, who also saw Josh Serrano match that total (4-7 from 3-point range), while adding eight rebounds and four assists to his stat line. Jaden Honis also made his presence felt with a career-high 22 points (10-14 FT) and three blocked shots for the winners, who trailed by as many as eight in the opening frame and closed out the half on a 22-5 blitz to forge their largest lead at 64-45. The Hilltoppers were kept at arm’s length after intermission, whittling their deficit down to seven before Dominican sank 9-12 from the foul line over the final 2:46 to close it out. The Chargers shot a sizzling 11-19 from beyond the arc in the whistle-plagued contest that was marred by 55 fouls and 80 free throw attempts.
The Good vibes didn’t last long, however, as Dominican fell to St. Mary’s (TX) in the two clubs’ finale. Sharif-Brown continued his hot play with 16 points, career-best 16 boards and five assists in a reserve role, but a 10-0 spurt late in the first half gave the Rattlers the lead for keeps at 48-39. The Chargers came within a single point twice in the final moments, the last occurrence at 66-65 on a Javel Cherry “bomb” with 2:50 on the clock before St. Mary’s converted 9-10 from the stripe to seal the deal. West Liberty had outscored its opponents by 25.9 points per game before the loss, and then proceeded to fall the next day, as well, to #20 Angelo State (TX).
Virgin Territory
For the first time since March 12-15, 2011, when it became the first (and only) CACC school to capture an East Regional, Bloomfield won three games in one tournament setting, emerging as champions of the Yes Virgin Islands Tournament with Ws on three straight days, in fact. In the opener vs. Allen (SC), Starrell Hearns starred with 17 bench points, while Edward Ngene flexed his muscle inside with seven points, 10 rebounds and eight blocked shots (he leads the nation at 4.0 per game) as the Bears fueled their 62-52 victory at the foul line (18-26 compared to 5-8 for AU). Next day vs. West Virginia State – BC’s second straight opponent with the nickname Yellow Jackets, as a matter of fact – eventual tourney MVP Deavion Ellis (24 points, 10 rebounds) sparked a crucial 8-0 spree in the waning moments with a big basket, transforming an 80-75 deficit into an 83-80 lead with 22 seconds showing. Hearns added 15 more pine points for the victors. Bronx native Kalil Camara had a good look at a potential winning three at the buzzer, but it didn’t fall, sending Bloomfield to the title game. There, the Bears faced Virginia State and once again used a late surge (7-0 this time) to flip a 63-59 deficit into a 66-63 advantage with 46 seconds to play. Ngene was clutch in crunch time with a hoop and two foul shots to cap the run. Ellis notched 25 points and seven caroms, calmly converting four straight free throws inside the last 27 seconds. Al Fatir Connor tossed in 19 points for good measure.
No Slack in STAC
The East’s hottest team remains the only nationally ranked one: #19 St. Thomas Aquinas, which spun off its ninth straight triumph, taking down Pace in Pleasantville. James Patterson was high man for the Spartans with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Bryan Powell was top dog for the Setters with 16 points. Four was the largest spread until Aquinas burst out of the halftime break with 13 unanswered points (eight by Patterson) to open things up at 43-26. The hosts – who shot an icy 3-24 from distance – crept as close as 71-66 on a Jabari Nurse “And-1” with 47 seconds left, but they would get no closer as the Spartans made good on 5-6 from the line the rest of the way.
Interleague Scoreboard
As we enter the NCAA-mandated holiday break, here’s how the leagues are faring outside their conferences. As usual, the Northeast-10 remains the lead dog, though the gap has definitely been narrowing recently. The NE10 is 38-25 outside of league play and holds edges vs. the CACC (24-18) and the ECC (13-6). The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is 54-58 but was over .500 until a rough 1-6 final day of the semester. The CACC holds a slim 17-15 edge on the East Coast Conference, which is trending upward again at 33-41 outside its own confines.
Dribbles…
- Dunk of the Year came in Tuesday’s Southern Connecticut-Holy Family matinee as Kazell Stewart authored this classic, 360-degree, alley-oop in New Haven:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1737234687209140453
BTW... I LOVE PA announcer Chuck Sadowski's terrific call on the super slam! Stewart (14 points) and Cherif Diarra (24 points, 11 rebounds) combined to shoot 16-20 and rocked the rims for nine dunks, while Marty Silvera compiled 11 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists as the Owls never trailed, igniting a 22-5 second-half uprising to open up a 70-52 lead. The Tigers – thanks largely to 15 points apiece from Aamir Hurst and Jason Shields, who combined to go 6-7 from long range – closed within 77-69 and missing a corner 3-ball at 1:03 that would have made things interesting. Southern – which also defeated Georgian Court with relative ease in Lakewood thanks to a perfect shooting day (7-7 for 21 points) from Stewart – has now won five straight.
- St. Michael’s continues to impress at 8-2, but for the second straight season, Staten Island has had the Purple Knights’ number. Last year, the Dolphins rallied to nip the P-Knights in Vermont, while this time out, at The Tank, CSI never trailed, crafting a 58-38 halftime chasm and then fending off a late rally that saw the visitors slash an 87-71 deficit inside of five minutes to five points twice in the waning seconds, the last time at 98-93 on a Nolan Marold lay-up with 39 seconds remaining. They would get no closer, however, as Messiah Mallory quickly answered with a fast-break lay-up to cap a 30-point (13-21 FG), eight-assist afternoon. Bryce Waterman was equally brilliant with 27 points on 10-15 shooting (7-11 from 3) as the Fins shot 67% in the first half and boasted a brilliant 28/6 assist-turnover ratio. Darrel Yepdo topped six Purple Knights in double figures with 22 points (9-10 FT) and six helpers, with Marold (16 points, 7-11 FG, seven boards), Alan Brzezinski (14 points, 5-6 FG, 4-4 from deep) and C.J. Crews (14 points in his season debut) providing superb depth. Both teams were incredibly efficient from the floor (CSI 57%, SMC 53%), especially from beyond the arc (CSI 13-25, SMC 16-30), the 29 combined threes representing the most ever in a St. Michael’s game.
- Marold netted a career-best 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists next game vs. Wilmington, as the Purple Knights returned home and to the win column while snapping the Wildcats’ modest four-game success streak. The hosts led from wire to wire and by as much as 55-32 nearly six minutes after the break, never allowing the Cats to come any closer than nine points the rest of the way. Amiri Stewart (21 points, 3-4 from 3) and Caleb Matthews (20 points, 4-8 from afar, five assists) were the top threats for WilmU, which was outrebounded (53-36) and outscored 25-6 on second chances.
- The most head-scratching halftime score of the season came on Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love, where Jefferson hammered St. Anselm, 110-82, riding a 36-8 wave over the last 9:16 of the first half in stretching a 26-20 lead to an absurd 62-28. The margin bounced between 27 and 37 over the final 20 minutes as the Jeckyll & Hyde Rams improved to 5-0 at home, the mirror opposite of their 0-5 mark away from the Gallagher Center. Antonin Kemkeng (23 points, 10-12 FG, seven rebounds) and Hakim Byrd (18 points, 7-10 FG, 4-5 from long range) headlined six in double digits for Jefferson, which shot a scorching 64% from the floor and cashed in half of its 28 three-point attempts (SAC was 48% and 5-16 from 3, respectively). Sean McCarthy was the lone bright spot for the Hawks with 26 points (9-15 FG) and six boards.
- In a battle of former ECC rivals now in different leagues, Adelphi annihilated Bridgeport in Garden City, 104-57, in the Panthers’ most lopsided victory since a 93-46 rout of Mercy on November 27, 1990. Elijah Lewis and reserve rookie guard Seth Brown each posted 20 points (the latter shooting 5-8 from distance) for the winners, who dominated in the shooting (59%-24%) and rebounding (52-34) categories. Thirteen Purple Knights reached the score column, though none could muster more than eight points in the team’s worst loss since a 104-57 humbling at the hands of Bentley on November 30, 2014.
- Speaking of Bridgeport and Bentley, the two storied programs renewed their rivalry in Waltham Tuesday, with the Falcons benefiting from strong outings by Cash McClure (career-high 24 points, 9-12 FG, 4-6 from 3-point land, seven rebounds, four assists), Bochenek (19 points, 7-10 FG, 5-8 from deep), Laput (22 points, 3-4 from 3, career-high nine assists) and Aaron Latham (18 points). Josh Dennis managed 20 points in 21 bench minutes for the Purple Knights, who enjoyed one lead (31-29 at the 8:20 mark of the opening frame) before Bochenek banged a trey (he has now made 31 of 56 over his last eight contests), kickstarting a 26-10 flourish to close out the half with his team in front, 55-41. After allowing the first six points upon the restart, the Falcons took flight with a 27-10 barrage to end all doubt at 82-57. Both teams shot it well but the Falcons were a little better overall (BU 59%, UB 50%) and from behind the 3-point line (BU 14-29, UB 9-26) while making a killing on the glass (42-22) and sharing the ball better (24-assist differential).
- Molloy was the busiest squad over the past week, suiting up three times in three cities over a five-day span. The Lions lost both in New England, falling at Assumption on Friday and Southern New Hampshire on Saturday before snapping a seven-game slide with a win over Chestnut Hill in Rockville Centre Tuesday. In Worcester, Daoda Dembele’s 17 points (8-12 FG) and eight rebounds spearheaded the Greyhounds’ effort as the sophomore forward’s baseline jumper triggered a 17-0 tear that turned a 51-46 game into a 68-46 runaway, rendering a 8-0 game-ending counter-run a mere footnote. Bobby Connors had the Lions’ share of Molloy’s points with 18 on 8-10 shooting, but the Hounds claimed 10 of the game’s 13 threes to win going away. Next afternoon vs. SNHU, Alex Rivera garnered a career-best 25 points (8-11 FG, 6-8 from 3) and 11 of 12 Penmen scored as the Lions ran out of gas in the second half. An 18-2 run by the hosts lengthened a 37-24 lead to 55-26 with 11:42 to go, essentially settling the matter. Southern New Hampshire was the superior shooting team (46%-28%), especially from distance (12-38 to 0-17) as Molloy lost its 10th straight game vs. an NE10 opponent since a 69-64 triumph over fellow Long Island foe Adelphi on December 30, 2021. In fact, NE10 teams have now won 31 of 35 vs. Molloy dating back to 2017.
- In their win, freshman point guard Robbie Matos paced the youthful Lions with 18 points and personal-best eight assists, while Connors (17 points, 7-11 FG, 3-3 from afar, nine rebounds, five assists) and 7-footer Matt Lane (career highs of 16 points and 15 rebounds, plus four assists and three swats) provided ample support as the hosts salted it away with a 27-11 run that made it a 75-62 game at the 2:24 mark. The Griffins placed all five starters in double figures for the sum total of their scoring, with Argel Petit IV generating 22 in defeat. Chestnut Hill boasted a terrific 20/9 assist-turnover line but was outscored 20-9 at the foul line.
- Assumption earned its second overtime comeback win of the season Tuesday at the Newman Center, consigning Caldwell to a fifth straight setback. Kani Glover delivered seven of his 25 points in OT, including the 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining that gave the Greyhounds the lead for good at 79-78. He followed that up with a steal and two free throws that capped the scoring as Mark Heber misfired on a potential tying trey at the buzzer. Assumption – which also received 17 points and seven rebounds from Njavan Stewart – fell into a 40-23 hole before closing the half on a 15-3 jaunt, making it 43-38. The game remained close after halftime, with Stewart’s trifecta at the 29-second mark sending the game to an extra session. Darnell Evans – who leads the region in scoring and is fourth in all of D2 at 24.9 ppg – tallied 26 while playing all 45 minutes for the Cougars, who also received a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double from Derrick Bueno but sabotaged themselves at the foul line (13-26) and gave up three times as many 3-point shots (9-20 to 3-15).
- Congratulations are in order for Goldey-Beacom Head Coach TJ Dekmar, who earned his 100th career victory Sunday as the Lighting held off American International at the Jones Center. A jumper by Zayon Marsh (25 points, nine rebounds) inside of the seven-minute mark of the second half initiated a key 21-9 run that fattened a 65-62 lead to 86-71 with one minute showing on the scoreboard, sealing the deal. Both teams landed five in double figures, including Damani Thomas (14 points, 10 rebounds) for Goldey and Justice Ellison (19, 9) for the Yellow Jackets.
- Saint Rose has won its last two, using a 23-8 game-ending charge to reverse a 45-44 deficit and take down D’Youville in Buffalo, 67-53, going 10-10 from the line over that 9:52 stretch. The foul line was the difference in this one (CSR 24-27, DU 10-20). Next game vs. old NYCAC rival Queens, Maine transfer Ata Turgut hit for a career-high 21 points (4-6 from downtown Albany) as the Golden Knights shot a stellar 61% (70% in the opening period) and claimed all 23 of the game’s turnover points thanks to a brilliant 23/6 assist-turnover ratio. The hosts’ lead barely fluctuated between 19-23 over the last 10:09. Dante Griffin flirted with a triple-double for the Knights with 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
- D’Youville bounced right back from its Saint Rose loss and pulled away from Felician in Buffalo four days later. Bryson Birdsong exploded for a career-high 28 points (9-13 FG, 4-8 from deep) in just 22 bench minutes, 12 of which came during a game-clinching 20-5 upswing that extended a 74-67 lead to 94-72 in the final minute. Birdsong also pulled down eight rebounds, while Trayton Trice recorded 18 and nine, respectively (4-5 from 3) for the Saints, who owned the glass, 51-27. Nas Amos (19 points, four assists) and Dee-End McRae (18 points on 6-6 shooting) did the heavy lifting for the Golden Falcons, who were outclassed at the foul line (19-21 to 8-19) as they embarrassingly shot 42% from both the floor and the stripe.
- It turned out to be an 0-4 road trip for Felician, which lost both ends of its Massachusetts leg, as well as both in its Western New York swing. In Rochester, the Golden Falcons nearly erased a 76-60 deficit inside of 13 minutes, creeping as close as 91-88 after two Jaylen Colon freebies with 47 seconds on the clock. After a stop, Felician had two good looks at potential tying triples, but neither would fall and Marlon Pratt, Jr. (15 points, five assists) cemented the result at the line with three seconds to play. Jermaine Taggart II sported 16 of his personal-best 18 points in the first half (4-7 from long distance) while adding six boards off the bench for Roberts, while Jhonny Tovar (22 points, 10-12 FG, 12 rebounds) and Colon (21 points, six helpers) carried the Golden Falcons.
- Further down the Thruway in Amherst, Andrew Mason erupted for a career-high 26 points and eclipsed Jeff Redband’s NCAA-era team record for 3-point makes, going 8-9 from beyond the arc as Daemen made Franklin Pierce’s first visit to Lumsden Gym a painful one in a 20-point yawner. Justin Glover also reached new heights with 20 points (8-11 FG) and four assists in a reserve role as the Wildcats stretched their region-best home-court winning streak to 14, closing out the half with a 20-3 burst to go into the locker room on top 47-27, then maintaining a lead between 18-24 over the final 20 minutes. Sean Trumper chalked up 25 points (7-11 FG, 4-4 from 3, 7-7 FT) and eight rebounds in a losing effort for the Ravens. Daemen also received a rare 6-point play (an And-1 plus 3 of 4 technical FTs) from coach’s son Nick MacDonald, who finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. For the record, David Skolen holds the program record with 12 threes in 18 attempts vs. Waynesburg (PA) on November 15, 1989 – when the Wildcats were NAIA and known as the Warriors. Waynesburg, by the way, is another Yellow Jackets – the fourth different team with that nickname referenced in this week’s column!
- And lastly, District of Columbia fell to Notre Dame (OH) in the nation’s capital despite a 15-point, eight-rebound performance off the bench from Vernon Simmons. The Firebirds were outshot overall (56%-39%) and from long range (11-28 to 2-12) as the Falcons seized control with a 30-15 spell to open the second half, inflating a 44-35 advantage to a 74-50 upper hand.
- If you like what we do, please consider a Patreon subscription. Beginning Friday afternoon, I plan to post my inaugural special column featuring personal impressions and overheard comments from my travels, and that exclusive content will only be accessible to subscribers. It’s a way to cover our website costs so we can continue covering the region with the same commitment to excellence. The link is: www.patreon.com/D2easthoops. Also, please follow us on X for info and action photos at @D2EastHoops. You can also email me with any questions or comments at chrisgranozio@gmail.com. Next Around the Rim will come your way after the New Year. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Hooping to All!