By Chris Granozio
BOSTON - With just a few weeks left in the regular season, the region is as cloudy as ever. Let’s take a look at where teams stand in each of the three conferences.
St. Michael’s Still Driving the NE10 Bus
A pair of wins for the Purple Knights the past week has preserved their two-game buffer zone atop the standings as their tremendous turnaround continues. Just about every game has been a nail-biter, including an 83-82 overtime thriller vs. Pace – the team’s second one-point win in as many games vs. the Setters. St. Mike’s built a 57-41 lead five minutes into the second half before the hosts unleashed a 30-9 run to surge in front, 71-66. The P-Knights caught up and had a chance to win in regulation, but Romar Reid, who had 32 points and four assists in 43 minutes of court time, missed two foul shots with three seconds to play. Trey Alexander (21, 4 in 45 minutes) missed a 3-pointer for the win and Darrell Yepdo came alive in overtime with five of his 12 points, including the go-ahead hoop with 3:36 left and the icing free throws with four seconds remaining, rendering a Chaz Harvey 3-pointer at the horn a mere footnote. St. Michael’s has now won five straight in the series vs. its old Mideast Collegiate Conference rivals. The Purple Knights are now 4-0 in one-point games over their last 17 outings while you’d have to go back 146 games to find the previous four.
St. Mike’s rallied to top Saint Rose in its next game, trailing the entire first half and looking up from a 53-50 hole just over eight minutes into the second when Alan Brzezinski took over, stroking four 3-balls to fuel a 16-5 run that gave the Purple Knights a 66-58 lead they would not relinquish. Brzezinski notched 23 of his career-high 26 points after halftime, including a torrid 7-9 from downtown Burlington as the hosts were much more prolific from long range (14-33 to 3-18), offsetting the Golden Knights’ 45-35 rebounding advantage.
Adelphi remains two off the pace after a wire-to-wire win over New Haven in Garden City. Elijah Lewis led five in double figures with 20 points while Seth Brown chipped in with 19 (5-9 from 3) and seven rebounds off the bench for the Panthers, who constructed a 44-23 halftime bulge and held off the Chargers, who came as close as eight points on five occasions down the stretch. Conor Regan (13 points, 10 boards, four blocked shots) and Mason Jackson (11 points, four assists, six swats) were also impactful for the winners, who used the foul line to their advantage (15-17 to 3-6). Jah’Likai King continues to trumpet his Rookie of the Year candidacy with 29 points (5-9 from afar) for New Haven.
Adelphi lost to Bentley before that, 79-66 in Waltham as Zach Laput totaled 23 points and five assists. A 17-1 blast, featuring nine Laput markers, provided the necessary separation, snapping a 25-25 tie and affording the Falcons a 42-26 upper hand, and the Panthers came no closer than 57-51 thereafter in a game they never led. Regan finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in defeat as Adelphi was limited to just 33% shooting inside the arc, far below its 60% average,
Bentley’s improved defense continued to shine in its next home game against Southern New Hampshire, handcuffing the circuit’s most dangerous 3-point shooting team to a dismal 14% (4-28) from long distance in securing sole possession of third place. Laput was once again front and center with 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Kellen Bochenek contributed 13 points and eight caroms as the Falcons used a 26-9 upswing in fleshing out a 47-44 lead to 73-53 at the two-minute mark. Derrick Grant managed 16 and Preston Santos a pair of 13s (the rebound total a new career high) for the Penmen, who are part of a three-way tango for fourth. Both teams boasted spiffy assist turnover ratios (BU 15/7, SNHU 11/3). In a side note, Matt Becht was held without a 3-point make for the first time since last season’s NCAA Tournament match-up, also vs. Bentley, at St. Anselm.
New Haven pulled off one of the region’s major upsets of the campaign, knocking off SNHU in Manchester, avenging a home loss vs. its former NECC rivals. Tyler Saint-Furcy (18 points, seven rebounds in 45 minutes) delivered the tying foul shot with eight seconds to go in regulation, then added the go-ahead tosses with 1:40 to play in overtime, coupled with a lay-up to make it 74-71 with 16 seconds on the clock. Jordan Brathwaite made it a one-point game with a bucket at the four-second mark, but then the similarly-named Sean Braithwaite closed out the scoring with two free throws one second later. King topped the Chargers’ scorecard with 26 points (10-16 FG, 4-6 from deep, six assists) while playing the entire game. Becht (23 points) and Alex Rivera (18) both made six of 10 shots behind the 3-point line for Southern New Hampshire, which did twice as much damage from distance (17-35 to 9-17), though New Haven dominated the backboards (41-21).
Assumption is part of that three-way tie for fourth, defeating St. Anselm at Laska Gym (90-78) and downing Mass Pike rival American International in Springfield (97-87). In the former contest, all five starters reached double figures, fronted by Njavan Stewart (21 points, 7-11 FG, 4-6 from 3, 14 rebounds) and Kasey Draper (20 points) as the Greyhounds led from pillar to post, jumping out to a 38-22 lead and withstanding the Hawks’ second-half run that pulled them within 56-51. A 9-0 spell after that boosted the advantage to 65-51 and the visitors never came closer than eight the remainder of the ballgame. Tyler Arbuckle (34 points on 14-18 shooting in 40 minutes) and Sean McCarthy (22 points, 10-11 FT) had the hot hands for St. A’s, which is tied for seventh. It was the 132nd meeting between the two programs (ST. A’s leads 73-59) and both clubs shot a solid 52% for the game… In the latter affair, three Hounds guided the way vs. AIC: Kani Glover (24 points), Draper (22) and Stewart (20 on 7-10 shooting, 4-4 from 3) as both teams converted a robust 58% of their attempts. However, Assumption did more damage from long range (14-25 to 7-20), with Glover knocking down the key threes in the second half. Justice Ellison authored a splendid effort with 28 points (12-19 FG), seven rebounds and four assists for the Yellow Jackets, who were within 54-50 before a 14-4 Greyhounds run widened the divide at 68-54. Assumption boasted a brilliant 28/9 assist-turnover line.
Southern Connecticut is the other participant in the fourth-place scrum following a pair of wins. Josh McGettigan returned to Nolan Gym for the first time and paced the Owls with 22 points, while Marty Silvera accumulated 20 points, four assists and eight steals in an 87-78 win over Saint Rose. Ata Turgut (26 points, 8-12 FG, 5-5 from downtown Albany, seven rebounds) and Tristian Jeffries (22, 7) were the top dogs for the Golden Knights, who proved the more efficient 3-point shooting club (10-18 to 6-22) but were bedeviled by turnovers (20-7), leading to a 24-6 scoring disparity… Silvera compiled 25 points, six rebounds and seven helpers in a win over fading Pace at Moore Field House. A 23-5 uprising over the last 7:17 of the first half flipped a 17-10 deficit into a 33-22 lead. The Setters – who saw Brian Powell rack up all 27 of his points in the second half – came as close as 56-51 inside the eight-minute mark, but an 8-0 spurt, bookended by McGettigan treys, ended any doubt at 64-51. Kazell Stewart (18 points, 8-10 FG, nine rebounds, four blocks) and McGettigan (14 points, 4-8 from 3) provided ample support for Southern.
Pace – which has dropped four straight and six of seven – is now tied with St. Anselm for seventh. The Hawks got there after thumping in-state rival Franklin Pierce in Rindge, using a 43-12 blitz upon the restart, stretching a modest 36-34 lead to 79-46. Josh Morissette (23 points, 4-7 from deep, 10 rebounds), McCarthy (19 points, 9-13 FG, 15 boards), Arbuckle (16 points, eight assists) and Matt Becker (eight points, 13 caroms) led the St. A’s parade, while Andrew Politi carried the load for the Ravens with 16 points off the bench (5-9 from long distance). Pierce was outshot (50%-33%), doubled up on the glass (54-27) and was a head-shaking 4-13 from the line in falling for the sixth straight time… prior to that, the Ravens fell to AIC at Butova Gym. Ellison – the league scoring leader – didn’t disappoint with 25 more points (5-9 from 3), while Aguibou Balde scored 12 and rebounded 12 for a career high, scoring back-to-back buckets to initiate a 23-8 run as the Jackets opened up a 78-59 lead with 2:10 to play. AIC shot 56% and had more than twice as many assists (23) as turnovers (11).
Seismic Shifting in the CACC North
The CACC North has a different look after every game day. Bloomfield – riding a region-best seven-game win streak, is the latest to hold down first place in the volatile division. Al Fatir Connor led five in double figures with 19 points, while Edward Ngene nearly recorded a triple-double with seven points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots as the Bears avenged an early-season home loss to now-third-place Felician, 79-69, using a late 11-3 flurry to pull away from a 64-61 tug-of-war. Prior to that, the game featured eight ties, 20 lead changes and nothing more than a two-possession spread. Justin Davis carried the Golden Falcons with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a reserve role.
Two Dominican home wins have propelled the Chargers from fifth place to second in the hierarchy. In an 89-78 victory over Goldey-Beacom, Seth Sharif-Brown (19 points in 20 minutes) and Josh Serrano (15) galvanized a bench explosion as the reserves outscored the starting five, 60-29; the former canning back-to-back jumpers to trigger an 18-6 run and put Dominican in complete control at 76-57 with seven-and-a-half minutes left, never allowing the Lightning any closer than 11 down the stretch. Zayon Marsh amassed 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Goldey… Jaden Honis’ 21-point, seven -rebound effort piloted a 91-83 triumph over Post, knocking the Eagles into fourth place. Isaiah Honis and his brother Jaden swished consecutive threes to instigate a key 14-5 run that erased a 48-47 deficit and put the Chargers on top for good at 61-53 as the bench dominated again, 69-22. Robert Sanders netted 19 in a losing effort for Post.
Post also came up on the short end vs. Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, 74-66. Argel Pettit IV registered 25 points (5-6 from 3) and Alejandro Reynoldo Cybak chipped in with 18 points, seven rebounds and three rejections for the Griffins, who seized the reins with a 16-3 outburst that flipped a 41-40 deficit into a 56-44 lead following a Cybak “And-1.” The Eagles came as close as six points twice in the waning moments but Chestnut Hill sank six straight foul shots over the last 56 seconds to salt it away. Deng Deang erupted for a career-best 34 points (4-6 from deep) and outscored his own teammates by two. The Griffins – who beat Post for the first time in eight years and first time at home since December 8, 2012 – shot 8-15 from beyond the arc and did far more damage at the stripe (24-27 to 5-13).
Jabri Fitzpatrick (25 points) and Jaylen Colon (20) played every minute and were the key weapons in Felician’s 82-78 triumph over Jefferson at Job Gym, handing Ivan Lewis his program-record 100th coaching win. The result also snapped a 14-game losing streak in the series dating back to the Golden Falcons’ phenomenal comeback from 23 down in the 2010 CACC Tournament Semifinals. The Rams – who landed all five starters in twin figures – were ahead 59-51 midway through the second period before the hosts ran off a 19-9 spree, edging in front, 70-68, on a Fitzpatrick triple with 4:53 remaining. The game remained air-tight until a Davis trey with 48 seconds on the clock (the last of 14 lead changes) sparked an 8-2 game-ending flurry, Fitzpatrick sinking the clinching free throw with half a second left. Ahmed Barba-Bey tallied 20 of his 25 points in the second half and snatched eight rebounds to lead Jefferson, which is second in the South.
Prior to that game, the Rams shot 54% in avenging an early loss to crosstown rival Chestnut Hill at the Gallagher Center, 74-57, for their fourth straight “W.” Bismark Nsiah converted all six of his shot attempts enroute to a 16-point game, while Hakim Byrd flanked him with 14 points (6-7 FG) and seven assists. Neal Hill was the best of the bunch for the Griifins with 19 (8-12 FG) and eight, respectively.
Chestnut Hill and Wilmington are tied for third in the South after Bridgeport stunned the Wildcats in Delaware, 89-72. Tim Dawson (22 points, 4-7 from 3, eight rebounds, six assists) paced five in twin figures for the Purple Knights, who connected on 57% of their shots, assisted on 28 of 33 baskets and used a 15-5, game-ending rush to steer it home. Amiri Stewart was high man for the Cats with 26 points (4-5 from long range), seven assists and five steals in a rare reserve role… Wilmington halted its four-game losing streak with a non-conference victory over Caldwell in North Jersey, gaining a minor measure of revenge after losing the conference tilt at home. Stewart fronted all five starters in double digits with 21 points (11-12 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks, while Skip Burton procured 14 of his 15 points over the final 10:18, nailing four trifectas in five attempts as the Wildcats held the lead the entirety of the second half, although Caleb Matthews’ two free throws with 2.8 seconds to play officially slammed the door, 83-79. Darnell Evans topped the Cougars’ score sheet with 22 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in 40 minutes.
Prior to that, Caldwell – a half-game out of fourth in the North – had little trouble with Georgian Court at the Newman Center, snapping a 25-25 deadlock with a 24-8 flourish over the last 6:24 of the half to forge a 49-33 lead; the margin bouncing between eight and 19 the balance of the ballgame. Evans (32 points, five assists, five swipes) was the best player on the court, while Clint Wright, Jr. was the fiercest Lion with 24… Georgian Court dropped its region-worst ninth straight, losing a dogfight against Holy Family at the Wellness Center, 63-60. Ryan Holmes came off the bench with 14 points (2-2 from 3), six rebounds and four assists for the Tigers, including two 3-pointers and another hoop during a crucial 14-0 run that transformed a 42-33 deficit into a 47-42 lead. But it was his traditional 3-point play with 13.5 seconds to go that gave Holy Family the lead for keeps at 61-60; Jason Shields capping the scoring with two foul shots. Anthony Rivera achieved a personal best with 19 points (7-8 FG), nine rebounds and three blocks for the Lions, with Wright matching that point total (5-9 from downtown Lakewood) off the pine, snapping a 71-game streak as a starter dating back to November 14, 2021.
STACking up the Ws
Make it seven straight for #20 St. Thomas Aquinas, which survived a challenge vs. Queens in Flushing before outlasting former ECC foe Bridgeport in a non-league match-up at Hubbell Gym. In the first contest, James Patterson (21 points, nine rebounds) and Jamaal Barnes (19 points, 6-11 from 3) did the heavy lifting for the Spartans, with Barnes’ three straight 3-pointers igniting the decisive 13-2 run that flipped a 43-42 deficit into a 55-45 lead. The Knights – who received 26 from the red-hot Shamar Chester (4-8 from distance) – never came closer than eight the rest of the way despite shooting 9-18 from beyond the arc… Patterson paved the way again in the Bridgeport game with 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Kyle Pulliam chimed in with 18 points (6-9 FG). The Spartans led from start to finish, racing out to a 32-14 lead before the Purple Knights sliced into it, drawing within a deuce three times in the second half before running out of steam as STAC converted five of six at the stripe over the last 39 seconds to secure the spoils, 90-81. Dawson (22 points, 8-11 FG, seven assists) and Sam DeSouza (21 points, 10-14 FG, 10 boards) kept Bridgeport afloat, but foul shooting ultimately was the determining factor (STAC 21-25, UB 11-19).
Staten Island holds down the second slot, essentially three games off the pace due to STAC’s season sweep, as the Dolphins won a makeup game vs. D’Youville in Buffalo, 84-71 – their fifth win in as many lifetime meetings. Messiah Mallory produced an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double for the winners, who used a 15-2 run to open things up at 81-65. Chase Jenkins dropped 15 for the Saints.
Daemen continues its climb up the ECC ladder, smacking crosstown foe D’Youville, 84-64, for its fourth straight win and handing its hosts a sixth straight setback. Joey Atkins (15 points, 6-8 FG, four assists), Justin Hemphill (15 points, nine boards, four blocks) and the returning Dylan Fasoyiro (14 points, seven caroms in 21 minutes) highlighted five in double figures for the Wildcats, who erased a 25-16 shortfall by outscoring the Saints 22-6 over the final 7:55 of the opening period. The 38-31 halftime lead shrunk to 52-50 before the Cats unleashed a 30-6 barrage to end any doubt, 82-56. Trayton Trice totaled 21 points and 11 rebounds in a losing cause.
Twenty-two straight points spanning the halftime break powered Molloy past fifth-place Queens at Fitzgerald Gym for their third straight road conquest. Robbie Matos scored 27 points and Manu Alford a personal-best 19 for the Lions, who saw their 28-23 lead mushroom to 50-23 11 seconds into the second half and then peak at 61-31 before the Knights showed signs of life, eventually whittling it down to 96-85 by the final buzzer. Chester eclipsed his career high with 32 points, adding six assists and five steals for Queens, which hampered its chances at the line (12-23 compared to MU’s 24-27)… Molloy had defeated Mercy in Dobbs Ferry four days prior, 79-66, with Matos (22 points) and Matt Lane (12 points, 10 rebounds, three blocked shots) helming the attack. Alex May was the best of the Mavericks bunch with 21 points (11-13 FT) and nine rebounds, though the hosts trailed in double digits the majority of the second half.
Eric Morgan, Jr. came through with 22 points, Hartnel Haye added 20 with 12 rebounds and four assists, and Tevin Curtis stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, nine boards, 11 assists and six steals, powering fourth-place District of Columbia past Roberts Wesleyan at the Henderson Complex. The Firebirds shared the ball beautifully, assisting on 27 of 31 field goals. Malik Brooks (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Ryan Hudson (14, 7 off the bench) led the Redhawks, who trailed by double digits for all but one possession of the second half.
Poll Position
St. Thomas Aquinas remains the only ranked regional team in the NABC Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, climbing five spots to #20. St. Michael’s is receiving votes while West Texas A&M stays at #1.
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