By Chris Granozio
Lots of action across the past seven days. Here are the highlights…
Three: The Magic Number
For the first time in the region this season, and just the 10th time across the Division 2 landscape, someone has recorded a triple-double. And this time, the player who achieved the feat did so in perhaps the minimal amount of court time historically. On Sunday in Sparkill, St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore guard Rich Smith very efficiently amassed 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, converting five of his six shot attempts in just 24 minutes of action as the Spartans blasted D’Youville, 105-68. We may never know if that’s a record time in which to record a triple-double, but it must be pretty darn close. And that wasn’t the only notable accomplishment from the game as Jamaal Barnes ascended the 1,000-point plateau with 15 markers on the day. Oh, and by the way, James Patterson led five in double figures with 23 points and 11 boards as STAC outscored the Saints 25-5 off turnovers and never trailed on the afternoon, maintaining at least a 20-point lead over the final 16:32 and 30-point cushion the last 11:08. The last regional player to boast a triple-double was another ECC guard: Queens’ Sunnie Diamond (18, 12, 10) on November 23, 2022 vs. Alliance.
Wednesday’s NE10 match-up between Saint Rose and Assumption turned out to be the longest game of the year. As it turned out, it took FIVE periods to determine a winner as the Golden Knights prevailed in THREE overtimes, rallying from six down inside of the last two minutes of regulation to ensure bonus basketball. The first overtime consisted entirely of six Saint Rose foul shots and three Daouda Dembele lay-ups. Then, in the second OT, Trey Boyd III banged a buzzer-beating 3-pointer (he scored all eight of CSR’s points in the period) to force yet another five minutes of action. That’s where Tristian Jeffries took over, delivering 11 of his career-high 29 points (12-12 FT), highlighted by back-to-back baskets and a trifecta that gave Saint Rose the lead for good as they never trailed in OT #3. The Robert Morris transfer played 53 of a possible 55 minutes on the night, while Boyd cashed in a personal-best 25 points in 41 bench minutes as the Golden Knights shot a spectacular 31-33 from the line (AU was 16-21). Assumption landed six in double digits, fronted by Kasey Draper (20 points) and Dembele (19 points, 16 rebounds in 44 minutes). The last time a regional game lasted three overtimes was New Haven’s 101-100 victory at Stonehill in the NE10 Tournament Semifinals on March 4, 2020. And if you’re wondering about the longest game on record in the region, it was West Chester’s 80-77 win at Wilmington in FIVE overtimes on November 21, 2009 (no one remembers that the score was just 43-43 after regulation)!
And a Child Shall Lead Them
Welcome to the Big Show, young fella! Daemen freshman guard Zach Philipkoski had himself a day Sunday vs. Mercy, racking up personal bests of 34 points (11-16 FG, 4-8 from 3-point range) and 13 rebounds in the Wildcats’ 84-59 victory at Victory Hall. It was the most points in the region by a freshman this winter, tied for most by a rookie in D2, and most since Cats legend Andrew Sischo poured in 36 in a 102-98 overtime win vs. Molloy on February 16, 2018. Daemen outshot its hosts, 50%-31%, and never trailed in improving to a perfect 21-0 all-time in the series.
Philipkoski made his first collegiate start just a two days earlier across the river at St. Thomas Aquinas, connecting on four of five from long range in a 14-point effort as the Spartans thwarted a late rally that saw the Wildcats slash a 68-51 deficit to 74-71 on a Philipkoski trey with 3:18 to play. That’s as close as the visitors would get, however, as Vasilis Tolias answered with a three 16 seconds later to touch off a 9-2 spurt that put the game out of reach at 83-73 with 1:09 left; STAC converting 9-10 at the stripe the rest of the way to keep pace with Staten Island atop the ECC standings (more on that in the ECC Dribbles below). Patterson finished with 27 points (12-13 FT), 11 rebounds and four steals for the winners, who also received 24 points and seven caroms from Kyle Pulliam. The Spartans owned the glass (49-29) while Daemen knocked down twice as many trifectas (16-30 to 8-24).
They’re Human After All
The region’s top two players (to my mind) both withstood their worst offensive performances of the campaign on Wednesday, with mixed results. Patterson was limited to just nine points, yet St. Thomas Aquinas used a 13-2 second-half run to slip past upset-minded District of Columbia at Aquinas Hall. The hosts were down as many as a dozen late in the opening half and were still staring at a 57-53 deficit with 12-and-a-half minutes remaining before unleashing their spree to take the reins at 66-59. The Firebirds pulled within a possession at 78-75 on a Vernon Simmons lay-up with 31 seconds to go, but Tolias broke free for a dunk six seconds later to end any lingering doubt. Curtis Morgan, Jr. logged a career-high 25 points in defeat for UDC.
Meanwhile, up in Waltham, American International completed a rare sweep of Bentley, limiting reigning NE10 Player of the Year and current scoring leader Zach Laput to a season low-matching eight points while the circuit’s #2 scorer – Justice Ellison – fueled the Yellow Jackets with 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists. AIC last defeated Bentley twice in a season in 1999-2000. AIC – which shot 62% after the break and committed only four turnovers all night to snap a five-game losing streak – maintained a lead between 2-9 the majority of the second half. Cash McClure was the bright spot for the Falcons with 19 points (8-10 FG) and 10 rebounds. Bentley was the last undefeated home team in the East and saw its 12-game streak at the Dana Center go up in smoke, leaving STAC as the hottest home team with a modest six straight wins.
NE10 Dribbles…
St. Michael’s buffer atop the NE10 is now thinner after Adelphi went to Colchester Saturday and eked out a hard-fought, 73-68 victory, thanks in part to a contested call. An air-tight game the entire way, there were eight ties, 18 lead changes and never more than six points of separation. The Panthers shot 64% in the second half and reeled off the last eight points in transforming a 68-65 shortfall into a 73-68 win. After Elijah Lewis’ go-ahead basket with 23 seconds on the clock, both teams came up empty on their next possessions before Darrel Yepdo was whistled for a carry with six seconds to play. The Purple Knights’ bench was furious and was assessed a technical. Lewis – who supplied 17 points – capped the scoring with four foul shots as second-place Adelphi snagged a critical road win and moved within a game of first place. Dayshaun Walton was high man for the Panthers with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Romar Reid (21 points) and Yepdo (17) were the top options for St. Mike’s.
The two clubs remained in lock-step after Wednesday wins. St. Michael’s outran Franklin Pierce in Rindge, 107-96 in a yin-yang NE10 match-up (SMC is 10-2, FPU is 2-10). Reid paced six in twin figures with 29 points (11-18 FG) and Alan Brzezinski tossed in 17 (5-6 from 3) for the P-Knights, including back-to-back triples on the front end of a 9-0 upswing that opened things up at 88-74 with 7:36 left; the lead never falling below 11 thereafter. Sean Trumper (26 points, nine rebounds) and Ugo Nwachukwu (21 points in his return to the starting lineup) did the heavy lifting for the Ravens, who lost at home for the first time in the series since a 106-91 setback on February 6, 2014. Both teams shot it well (SMC 52%, FPU 57%), especially from beyond the arc (SMC 16-32, FPU 10-19).
Dayshaun Walton chalked up 23 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 from deep) and five assists in Adelphi’s 79-70 home win vs. Southern Connecticut to complete a season sweep. The Panthers shot 55%, including 69% in the opening period, then made 7-8 at the line over the last 46 seconds to keep the Owls at arm’s length. Josh McGettigan tabulated 17 points in a losing cause.
There were plenty of long scoreless droughts over the past week, and one of the most stunning occurred during the Battle of Manchester Wednesday as Southern New Hampshire spotted archrival St. Anselm a 20-11 lead at the Spirou Fieldhouse, then hung 21 straight on the Hawks during an 8:44 stretch as part of an overall 27-3 blitz over the last 10:24 of the first half to forge a 38-23 lead. It was never seriously challenged after the break in what became the largest margin of victory for the Penmen in the series, 82-52. Sharpshooter Matt Becht was the ringleader with 21 points, exclusively on 7-17 long-distance shooting, along with eight rebounds, while Derrick Grant added 10 and 14, respectively. Matt Becker had the hot hand for St. A’s with 21 points (4-7 from 3), 10 boards and four assists, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the end of a four-game win streak. SNHU – now tied with Bentley for fourth place – flexed its muscle from the arc (13-37 to 6-24) and owned the glass (56-30) in sweeping its crosstown rivals for the first time in nine years.
St. Anselm’s fourth straight win came four days earlier on the Hilltop in a bizarre game of diverse halves vs. American International. The Hawks dominated the first 20 minutes, taking a 47-23 lead into the locker room, then holding its collective breath as the Yellow Jackets shaved the deficit down to one (66-65) after three Ellison foul shots with 2:34 remaining. They would get no closer, though, as Josh Morissette (28 points, 5-8 from deep, six rebounds, five assists, three blocked shots in 40 minutes) knocked down the icing free throws with three ticks to go, lifting the hosts to a 73-69 win in the teams’ 127th overall meeting. Ellison accounted for 22 points, 10 boards and four assists for AIC, while St. A’s received zero points or shots from its bench in 16 cumulative minutes.
The most dramatic finish of the week came Wednesday night at the Goldstein Center as Bryan Powell emerged from his recent slumber at precisely the right time, drilling a 3-pointer at the buzzer to carry Pace past New Haven, 56-55 and snare sole possession of third place. The grad student accounted for eight of his 10 points in the final 4:16, including a pair of go-ahead treys (he had been 1-13 from the floor before making his final three shots) as the Setters rallied from nine down with just over six minutes on the clock and improved to 2-2 this year in one-point games. Six players in the game scored between 10-12 points, including Pace’s Tray Alexander (12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists while playing every second) and Chargers freshman guard Ethan Simmon (12 points), who was poised to be the hero after rattling in a short jumper to give the visitors a 55-53 lead with seven seconds to play, setting up Powell’s heroics.
In their previous game vs. Bentley, the Setters constructed a 32-18 lead before the Falcons closed the half with an 11-2 flourish to close within 34-29. The second stanza was a series of mini-runs, but again, it was Bentley that closed the period with authority, snapping a 66-66 deadlock with a 13-4 uprising over the final 3:12. Laput (17 points, six rebounds, five assists) sank the go-ahead free throws, then McClure’s right-wing 3-pointer made it 71-66 and Pace was on the defensive the rest of the way, culminating in a 79-70 final. Kellen Bochenek drove home 18 points on 6-9 long-range shooting for the winners, who were better from downtown Pleasantville (11-27 to 6-21) and the foul line (24-26 to 10-13) to prevail. Alexander – the nation’s top assister – topped the Pace scorecard with 17 points, eight helpers and four steals.
Kasey Draper registered 12 of his 26 points during an 18-2 run spanning the halves as Assumption ran past Southern New Hampshire Saturday at Laska Gym. Nvajan Stewart pitched in with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for the Greyhounds, who flipped a 24-16 deficit into a 34-26 advantage early in the second half, then slowly pulled away in the 76-59 triumph. Preston Santos piloted the Penmen with 14 points in his first start of the season.
Marty Silvera totaled 21 points and nine assists, while Josh McGettigan attained a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double in Southern Connecticut’s home victory over old NECC rival Franklin Pierce in New Haven, 94-72. The game hung in the balance until a McGettigan bomb initiated a 34-13 tear that widened a 60-56 lead to 94-69. Trumper rang up 22 points and seven boards for the Ravens.
Davontrey Thomas garnered 22 of his 25 points in the second half, including four key free throws over the final 16 seconds as New Haven rallied to upend Saint Rose in West Haven in a defensive struggle, 53-48. The Golden Knights – who were led by Jeffries’ 12 points – led most of the way, and by as much as 29-18 before the Chargers charged back with a 17-1 power surge, holding their guests without a field goal for over 11 minutes in jumping out in front for good at 45-37. Both sides exhibited frosty shooting touches (UNH 37%, CSR 32%) and combined to shoot 25% from distance (8-32).
ECC Dribbles…
The NE10 isn’t the only race that’s tight at we hit the second half of the conference campaigns. In the East Coast Conference, STAC and Staten Island continue to tango in first place heading into Saturday’s second regular-season meeting. CSI pulled away from District of Columbia and Mercy at The Tank. In the former game, all 11 players who saw action contributed field goals and all five starters reached double figures, with Messiah Mallory boasting 16, including his 1,000th career point. In the latter, the junior forward tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Chris Clancy pumped in 20 (6-9 from 3) off the bench as the Dolphins swept the Mavericks for the first time. A Clancy triple ignited a key 20-5 run that inflated a 56-49 lead to 76-54 as Mercy fell for a sixth straight time. Taj Chiles produced a career-high 23 points (10-15 FG) and six assists in a losing effort.
Queens is just off the pace in third after rallying to halt Roberts Wesleyan’s four-game win streak. In a game that featured six ties, 16 lead swaps, 45 fouls, four technicals and an ejected player, the Knights rode a 24-6 wave that transformed a 68-63 deficit into an 87-74 lead in the waning seconds. Eric Tynes (personal-best 21 points off the bench, 5-9 from downtown Flushing) buried the tying trey at the five-minute mark and Malik Bentinck (17 points, career-high 16 rebounds, three blocks) followed with the go-ahead “Dunk-And-1” just seconds later as the Knights captured their fifth straight win for the first time in six years.
Molloy made it a winless downstate trip for the Redhawks after a 99-84 victory on Sunday. Billy Reyes paced five in double figures with a career-best 23 points (8-11 FG, 5-6 from 3) in a reserve role, while Robbie Matos (22 points, 3-4 from afar, personal-best eight assists) and Bobby Connors (15 points, 12 rebounds, four dishes) provided ample support. The Lions shot a solid 54% from the field (66% after intermission, including a scorching 8-10 from beyond the arc), offsetting 24 turnovers. Kevin Constant notched 18 points for Roberts.
D'Youville snagged a Friday win at Mercy, riding the coattails of Trayton Trice (22 points, 4-7 from 3, seven rebounds) and Chase Jenkins (21 points) as the Saints made half their shot attempts (16-33 from distance) and maintained a double-digit upper hand the entirety of the second half. Alex May managed a career-high 21 points and seven caroms for the Mavs.
CACC Dribbles…
The CACC races are super-competitive. Goldey-Beacom gained pole position in the South after outlasting Bridgeport and crosstown foe Wilmington, both on the road. In the first contest, Zayon Marsh and Nazim Derry both sported 21-point performances as the Lightning shot 53%, striking early (38-18) and were still ahead, 62-41, five-and-a-half minutes into the final frame before the Purple Knights made things interesting, clawing within 75-70 at the 4:29 mark before falling for a fourth straight outing. All five UB starters reached double digits, led by Caleb Jacobs’ 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and six steals… In the rivalry game, Marsh collected 23 points and seven boards, while Damani Thomas complied 22 points (5-10 from long range), six rebounds and four assists as Goldey took control for good thanks to an 8-0 burst that made it 72-66 with 4:43 to go. The second-place Wildcats – who were spearheaded by Amiri Stewart’s 22 points – came as close as 72-70 but could never catch lightning (ahem) in a bottle.
Third-place Jefferson is coming on strong, annexing three wins in six days to apply pressure to their Delaware rivals, shooting over 50% in all three. A 20-2 second-half spell vs. Post, bookended by Antonin Kemkeng lay-ups, flipped a 43-41 deficit into a 61-45 lead with 5:18 on the clock, essentially ending any mystery with a 77-61 home win. Kemkeng posted 30 points on 14-16 shooting with seven rebounds as the Rams held the Eagles to no hoops over a 10:56 span. Bol Akot powered Post with 24 points in defeat… Next game vs. fellow Philly neighbor Holy Family, the Rams needed a second-half comeback effort to avoid the upset, trailing 71-62 with eight-and-a-half minutes to play and 78-77 inside of the four-minute mark before closing out the contest with an 11-4 charge, consigning the Tigers to a fifth straight loss. Kemkeng accumulated another 25 points and nine rebounds, becoming the 61st member of the Rams’ 1,000-point club in the process. Erik Timko matched the point total while handing out four assists. Aamir Hurst cranked out 22 points (7-10 FG, 5-6 from 3) to lead Holy Family, which dominated from behind the 3-point line (17-32 to 7-21) but was outworked at the foul line (19-26 to 9-11). Both teams shot 51%... and last night, in a non-conference crossover game, Jefferson dominated Dominican for the second time in three weeks. Hakim Byrd was the star of the show, hitting for a career-high 25 points (9-12 FG, 7-10 from downtown Orangeburg) as all five starters scored in double figures, including Timko (20 points, 7-9 FG, 3-4 from 3). The best-shooting team in the region converted 58% of its attempts this time around, including 14-29 from long distance. A 30-13 run erased a 47-43 deficit and put the Rams in the lead for keeps, 73-60 at the seven-minute juncture, maintaining a double-digit divide the remainder of the ballgame. Seth Sharif Brown offered 17 points and five assists in a reserve role for the Chargers, who are a half-game out of a playoff berth at the moment.
There’s essentially a three-way tie for first in the rugged North Division, where Bloomfield is the hottest club, winners of five straight. A late 16-0 run vs. upset-minded Georgian Court averted a landmine, wiping out a 42-32 deficit and putting the Bears in front, 48-42. Still, the feisty Lions roared their way back into the lead at 55-53 inside of the final six minutes before the visitors closed the contest with a 19-3 barrage over the final 5:44. Perennial Rookie of the Week Starrell Hearns dropped 17 off the bench for the Bears, including the go-ahead bucket with 2:45 left, while Edward Ngene – the clear-cut leader for Defensive Player of the Year – came up big again with eight points, career-best 16 rebounds and five blocked shots. Freshman forward Taheen Braswell-Brown enjoyed his best day as a collegian with 18 points and eight boards off the bench for Georgian Court. Bloomfield improves to 12-0 all-time against their in-state rivals… An even more impressive performance for the Bears came three days later vs. fellow Bloomfield Avenue foes Caldwell at the Newman Center. All five starters reached double figures for the Bears, fronted by Stearns (16 points, 7-11 FG, four assists), Al Fatir Conner (15 points) and Ngene (11 points, 13 rebounds, five swats). Another late outburst proved the difference as the visitors trailed 55-50 but outscored the Cougars 18-4 to seize the lead for good at 68-59, with Conner knocking down the go-ahead 3-pointer with 12:44 remaining. Darnell Evans (25 points, six rebounds, four assists) and Derrick Bueno (20 points, 10-13 FG, six boards) provided the firepower for fourth-place Caldwell.
Evans procured 28 points to lead the Cougars past Chestnut Hill in a wire-to-wire home win, while the Griffins rebounded with a home blowout over Georgian Court to solidify its hold on fourth in the South. Argel Petit IV (18 points) and Donald James Imo (16 points, 6-9 FG, seven rebounds, three blocked shots) had the hot hands for the hosts, who led from pillar to post, with the lead cresting at 80-48 before the dust settled.
Felician made short work of Holy Family to announce its presence among the North leaders. Jabri Fitzpatrick exploded for a personal-best 22 points (8-10 FG, 5-6 from deep), seven rebounds and four steals for the Golden Falcons, who led from start to finish, jumping out to a 22-3 lead and never looking back in a 71-49 romp. Ethan Pires fired off 16 points off the pine for the Tigers.
After its loss at Jefferson, Post escaped a similar setback against in-state rival Bridgeport, winning its fourth straight in the series at Hubbell Gym to remain in the hunt for the division crown. Deng Deang generated 15 points and six rebounds for the Eagles, who trailed 35-25 early in the second half before triggering a 20-5 run to zoom in front, 45-40, sustaining between a one- and seven-point advantage the rest of the way. Caleb Jacobs turned in a 16-point, nine-rebound performance for the Purple Knights.
Poll Position
Just as quickly as Post returned to the Top 25, the Eagles fell right back out, as our parity-rich region once again features zero ranked teams. St. Thomas Aquinas and Post are both receiving votes. West Texas A&M is the new #1 as every D2 team now has at least one loss.
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