By Chris Granozio
Lots to report since the holiday break, and we begin with the last game of calendar year 2023, which turned out to be the best game of the season thus far.
Nick MacDonald’s basket off a missed teammate’s free throw with 2:19 to play in the second overtime put Daemen in front to stay, as the coach’s son blocked Tyler Arbuckle’s potential tying triple at the buzzer as the Wildcats outlasted St. Anselm in a wild one in Manchester, 112-109. The result spoiled Arbuckle’s career-high 39-point performance as the senior guard went 13-14 at the line and added eight rebounds while playing all 50 minutes. St. Anselm – which also received 24 points from Josh Morisette and 20 more from Sean McCarthy – had built a 55-43 lead early in the second half before Daemen rallied. But the play of the game was actually turned in by a seldom-used freshman who was on the court for just one possession. With the hosts up 84-80 and 28 seconds showing on the clock, Dylan Fasoyiro sank the first of two foul shots to make it a one-possession game but missed the second. The Hawks called timeout but on the ensuing inbounds pass, Arbuckle’s pass from the baseline was deflected by Ryan Heath and the Wildcats passed the ball around the perimeter before MacDonald found Justin Glover, who sank a right-wing 3-pointer to knot the score with five seconds left. Matt Becker had a good look at a straight-on three for the win but it didn’t fall, extending the game to overtime, where there would be no fewer than 13 lead changes and six ties over the 10 minutes of bonus time. St. A’s had a chance to win at the end of the first OT but Arbuckle’s runner was off the mark (there were 16 total ties and 18 lead swaps throughout the day). Justin Hemphill led six in double figures for the victors with career highs of 27 points, 16 rebounds and 42 minutes played, while MacDonald contributed 21 points (10-10 FT) in 47 minutes, Fasoyiro netted 21 points and Glover chalked up 18 points (4-5 from deep), career-high eight assists and just one turnover in 38 bench minutes. The crisply played game was a thrill to behold as both teams finished with six more assists than turnovers. It was Daemen’s first 2OT game since a 102-98 triumph at Molloy on February 16, 2018 and its third win in four lifetime meetings (first at Stoutenburgh Gym).
A Pair of Top 25 Upsets
The top of the East Region is bananas after both of its nationally ranked teams lost their last games, and Daemen was responsible for the first. Fresh off their Manchester momentum, the Wildcats took down #18 Post in Buffalo three days later. MacDonald established a career high for the second straight game with 22 points (8-13 FG) while Joey Atkins produced 18 points and nine rebounds as the ‘Cats held the Eagles to a season-low 55 points. MacDonald cashed in the first seven points of a key 12-0 second-half run that expanded a modest 36-32 lead to 48-32 at the 12-minute mark, the margin bouncing between 13 and 17 the remainder of the game as Post’s five-game win streak came to an end. Bol Akot dropped a dozen for the Eagles, who shot a frosty 33% (4-22 from 3) and were whistled for 26 of the game’s 40 fouls.
Yesterday in Philadelphia, Jefferson connected on 58% of its shots (62% after halftime) and landed all five starters in double figures in stunning #13 St. Thomas Aquinas and snapping STAC’s region-best nine-game win streak. The Rams were spinning their wheels out of the gate, trailing 19-6 near the midway point of the opening period before exploding with a 37-19 uprising to cose the half ahead 43-38. The Spartans – who were spearheaded by the sensational James Patterson’s 24 points – were within a deuce at 48-46 early in the second before Jefferson slowly pulled away and handed Aquinas a 97-79 drubbing, limiting its guests to 40% shooting and becoming the third straight team to hold them under 80 after STAC had scored at least that many in each of its previous 10 games. Erik Timko led the charge with 28 points, with solid support from Bismark Nsiah (18 points, 8-10 FG, four blocked shots), Hakim Byrd (16 points, 3-4 from afar, six rebounds, six assists), Ahmed Barba-Bey (12 points, nine dishes) and Antonin Kemkeng (10 points, eight boards).
Deadly Division
The CACC North has become, as expected, a dominant division, and each match-up between the heavyweights is must-see entertainment. Case in point Wednesday’s game in Orangeburg between Bloomfield and Dominican, won by the visiting Bears, 103-96. This was a backyard brawl between the division’s two most successful programs. Backup sophomore guard Zamorian Singleton – who is blossoming before our eyes – delivered career highs of 20 points (8-12 FG) and 13 rebounds, with his put-back “And-1” at 3:37 snapping the 17th and final tie at 87-87 and sparking a critical 10-2 surge that decided things at 97-89 with 1:36 remaining – the largest spread of the entire night! Redshirt freshman Starrell Hearns – the latest in a long line of talented Gerald Holmes-groomed guards – exploded for a personal-best 27 points (4-8 from distance) and nine rebounds off the bench for Bloomfield, which is an extremely dangerous team despite having lost its top four scorers from last season (more on that in my first exclusive Patreon column). Javel Cherry finished with 20 points (7-11 FG) off the pine for the Chargers, who have dropped three of four since upsetting West Liberty (WV) before the break. This game featured no fewer than 115 bench points (63 from BC)!
In its previous game, Bloomfield fell in the final seconds vs. Post at the Drubner Center, 72-69 – the Eagles' EIGHTH of 10 triumphs by five or fewer points! Deng Deang was high man with 23 points (9-10 FG, including 3-4 in the final 10 seconds) and 10 rebounds for the winners, who squandered a 47-31 second-half lead, only to prevail thanks to Robert Sanders’ go-ahead trifecta with 22 seconds to go, representing the last of six lead changes over the final 5:23 as there was no more than two points of separation from the 8:58 mark to the 10-second juncture! Al Fatir Connor collected 18 points and seven boards for Bloomfield.
Dominican split a pair in New England to end 2023, eking one out vs. Frankin Pierce on the strength of Seth Sharif Brown (25 points, four steals) and Joshuel White (16 bench points, 4-4 from downtown Rindge). Sean Trumper paced the Ravens with 24 points and 11 rebounds as his team led the majority of the ballgame, and by as many as nine at the half, before succumbing following RJ Delahaye’s potential tying trey try bounding off the rim. DU’s 22-10 turnover differential offset Pierce’s edges in shooting (46%-40%) and rebounding (48-40)… next afternoon in Worcester, another 22 forced turnovers and Sharif-Brown’s 15-point, four-steal outing weren’t enough as Dominican fell to Assumption. Njavan Stewart (17 points, career-high 14 rebounds, four assists), Daouda Dembele (15 points, career-best six blocks) and Kani Glover (10-point, 11-rebound double-double) did the heavy lifting for the Greyhounds, who owned the glass (40-24) and were the better marksmen (45%-35%) on the day, building as much as a 54-38 lead midway through the second half and nursing it the rest of the afternoon.
Felician reyured home after an 0-4 road trip and broke out of its funk with a comfortable win vs. Bridgeport. Jaylen Colon fronted six in twin figures with 26 points (9-13 FG, 4-6 from 3), while Tavian Pullock offered a personal-best 20 (6-8 FG, 5-6 from long distance) and Jhonny Tovar filled the stat sheet with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The Golden Falcons trailed only once (6-5) and used a late 12-3 flurry to put the game out of reach at 103-83. D’Andre Collins sported 18 points and seven caroms for the Purple Knights, who had come off a quality home win vs. division rival Caldwell. Collins garnered 23 and Joshua Dennis 15 in that one to lead five in double digits as Bridgeport used a 21-2 spree, capped by a Collins three, to open up a 68-50 advantage. It was 87-70 inside of the six-minute mark when the Cougars staged a furious, late comeback attempt, outscoring their hosts 18-3 in creeping within 90-88 at the 1:18 mark. They would get no closer, however, as Tim Dawson’s free throws with four seconds on the clock proved the final daggers, consigning the Cougars to a sixth straight setback. Regional scoring leader Darnell Evans cranked out 23 points for Caldwell, which shot a healthy 52% but was credited with only five assists on its 31 baskets.
Southern Inhospitality
The hottest team in the East at the moment is Southern Connecticut, which captured its seventh straight in knocking off St. Anselm in New Haven. Kazell Stewart led five double-figure scorers with 19 points and six rebounds, while Josh McGettigan (17, 8, 6-8 FG) and national assist leader Marty Silvera (13 points, nine helpers) also flexed their muscle. A 15-3 run stretched a 45-43 lead to 60-46 just past the midway mark of the second half and the Owls held the Hawks at arm’s length the balance of the ballgame, never allowing them to closer than six. Arbuckle (23 points, six rebounds) and McCarthy (22, 12, 9-13 FG) did the heavy lifting for St. A’s, which has lost four in a row for the first time since a six-game slide in 2011-12. The team’s 4-8 record represents its worst since a 2-8 start that same season… Southern dispatched Molloy four days earlier, also at the Moore Field House, powered by McGettigan’s 23 points (8-12 FG) and nine boards and Mason Williams’ hot shooting beyond the arc (5-8 for his 15 points). A 33-7 second-half blitz transformed a 51-45 lead to 84-52 with 7:50 to play, and the Lions never came closer than 23 points thereafter, despite a career-best 30-point eruption from rookie playmaker Robbie Matos (13-14 FT). The Owls also shattered the program record with 18 steals on the day.
Poll Position
Other than #13 St Thomas Aquinas and #18 Post, three other East Region teams are receiving votes this week: St. Michael’s, Southern New Hampshire and Dominican. Defending National Champion Nova Southeastern is still#1, though that may be tenuous as the Shaks lost theor first game in two seasons on Wednesday against Sunshine State Conference rival Florida Southern.
Dribbles…
St. Michael’s has won six straight NE10 games to start a season for the first time since its 2000-01 Sweet 16 campaign, when the Purple Knights prevailed in their first 10. Their most recent triumph came vs. New Haven in Vermont as the hosts forged a 40-24 lead, only to see the Chargers charge back and even things up at 65-65 with 5:48 left. Nolan Marold (10 points, 12 rebounds, three blocked shots) snapped the deadlock with a put-back that jump-started a game-defining 9-1 spell and made it a 74-66 game with 1:32 remaining. All five St. Mike’s starters registered double figures, led by Romar Reid (21 points, five assists) and Alan Brzezinski (17 points, 6-9 FG, 5-7 from deep) as the hosts did more damage from the 3-point line (12-27 to 5-19). Jah’likai King rang up 25 points and Tyler Saint-Furcy 18 (7-11 FG) for the Chargers, who also saw Joshua Hopson haul in a career-high 19 rebounds – most in a game by any regional player this season. St. Michael's now has a full two-game lead on the rest of the league!
St. Michael’s turned aside Queens at Fitzgerald Gym in its previous game, 94-90, using a 20-8 flourish over the game’s last 6:43 to erase an 82-74 deficit. A jumper by Reid (15 points) with 1:16 to go provided the 13th lead change and gave the P-Knights the lead for keeps at 89-88, while Darrell Yepdo (23 points, four assists) came up huge in the waning seconds with an offensive rebound, basket and two foul shots to ice it. Six St. Michael’s players reached double digits, as the visitors fared better at the foul line (20-29 to 9-13) and made a killing in mistake points, 22-6. Sunnie Diamond had the hot hand for the Knights with 26 points (5-6 from downtown Flushing) and five assists in a rare reserve role, while Zyeir Lawrence (personal-best 19 points, 9-12 FG, seven rebounds), Shamir Chester (17 points, seven boards, career-high seven assists) and Malik Bentinck (16 points, 10 caroms) also made their presences felt as Queens shot a blistering 11-19 from 3-point land, albeit to no avail.
Staten Island split a pair vs. NE10 opponents, with the road team prevailing in both instances. In Albany, Messiah Mallory tallied 21 points (4-6 from 3) and the Dolphins rode a 16-2 wave over the last 5:22 – triggered by a Mallory trey – to wipe out a 65-61 deficit and win going away, 77-67. Nuha Sagnia was the bright spot for the Golden Knights with 16 points (6-8 FG) and nine rebounds. CSI’s only other meeting with Saint Rose had come in its second-ever D2 game two years ago, when the Golden Knights demolished the Dolphins at The Tank, 112-54… Back home in its next game, Staten Island fell to New Haven, which engineered a 24-7 power run, bookended by Saint-Furcy hoops, to flip a 47-39 deficit into a 63-54 upper hand with 4:20 on the clock. The Dolphins – who received excellent outings from JJ Chestnut (21 points, 8-10 FG, seven rebounds, five assists) and Mallory (20 points, 12 rebounds) – never came within a possession down the stretch despite winning the rebound battle, 38-25. Ethan Simmon provided 20 points (4-5 from 3) off the pine for New Haven, which also received 17 from Davontrey Thomas.
Two NE10 games on Wednesday finished with the same 67-66 score. In Springfield, Aguibou Balde’s two free throws with 58 seconds on the clock snapped a 65-65 tie, and American International withstood two potential winning shots at the end to hold off Saint Rose. The Yellow Jackets trailed almost the entire night, and by as much as 56-43 with 11 and a half minutes to play before embarking on a 22-7 binge, culminating in a Justice Ellison jumper at the 3:04 mark that put them on top, 65-63. Ellison notched 14 points and Balde 12 for AIC, which also received a dozen off the bench from Kanye Wavezwa on 4-of-7 shooting from long range (AIC was 11-26 from 3 while CSR was just 4-10). Christan Pierre-Louis topped the Golden Knights’ scorecard with 18 points (7-11), while Sagnia managed 13 with 10 boards in defeat.
Pace escaped Frankin Pierce for a gritty road win in overtime, applying the brakes to a four-game swoon. After Pierce Prendergast opened the OT with a dunk to put the hosts in front, the Setters rattled off seven straight to seize control, rendering Trumper’s 3-pointer at the buzzer a mere footnote. Sean Bresnan returned to his old stomping grounds and finished with 16 points (4-8 from long distance) in 40 minutes, while Bryan Powell chimed in with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Trumper compiled 25 and 10, respectively, for the Ravens. Both teams shot an identical 5-19 from behind the 3-point line in an air-tight game that amazingly never saw more than a five-point separation in 45 minutes.
Wilmington snagged a pair of important divisional road wins, handing Jefferson its first home defeat of the year, and then toppling Holy Family without much resistance. In the first game, a 32-15 upswing over the game’s final 12:11 broke a 48-48 tie and gave the Wildcats an impressive 80-63 win – their first at the Gallagher Center wince a 72-70 squeaker on February 3, 2015. Caleb Matthews (16 points) and Amiri Stewart (13) led a balanced effort for the victors, while Kemkeng (18 points, nine rebounds) and Timko (17, 9) earned top billing for the Rams, who shot a dreary 29% in the second half and awful 10-22 from the stripe... Across town at the Campus Center, Wilmington grabbed the reins early at 17-4 and never let go vs. Holy Family, manufacturing a 47-28 halftime bulge and maintaining between an 11- and 24-point upper hand over the final 20 minutes. Taalib Holloman posted a career-high 30 points (11-15 FG, 5-8 from 3), while Stewart generated 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists for the ‘Cats, who shot a terrific 59% from the floor and crafted a super 29/11 assist-turnover ratio. Aamir Hurst totaled 16 points for the Tigers.
Holy Family landed all 12 of its players in the score column in its wire-to-wire win over District of Columbia in Northeast Philly. Jason Shields and Ethan Pires (4-6 from deep) each mustered 14 for the Tigers, who hung the first 11 points on the board enroute to a 44-19 lead that was never threatened, peaking at 83-47 at one point. Hartnel Haye procured 11 points and seven rebounds for the Firebirds, who shot an icy 30% and a hideous 15-32 from the line while being outclassed beyond the arc (13-34 to 1-13) and out-assisted, 24-9.
Zach Laput amassed 25 points, 13 rebounds and five assists and Bentley toppled Assumption at the Dana Center, outshooting its Commonwealth rivals, 51%-36%. The Falcons reeled off 21 straight in jumping out to a 36-12 lead, then saw the Greyhounds slash the deficit to 58-51 before running out of steam. Kasey Draper was top dog for the Hounds with 19 (5-8 from downtown Waltham).
In one of the more exciting contests of the season, Adelphi outlasted Southern New Hampshire, 84-81, in a game of runs at the Center for Recreation and Sport for its fourth straight “W.” Dayshaun Watson came alive with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Panthers, who boasted runs of 17-3 and 17-2 while SNHU countered with 25-4 tear and late 12-3 spurt to sidle within 82-81 after a Preston Santos slam with 11 ticks left. They would get no closer, however, as the hosts made just enough free throws (2-4) in the last nine seconds and watched a half-court heave miss at the final horn. Matthew Price pitched in with 15 points (4-8 from 3) for Adelphi, which was more prolific from distance (13-28 to 5-16). Santos recorded a career-high 20 points (8-11 FG) and snatched seven boards off the Penmen bench, while Matt Becht offered 18 points.
Four days earlier, the Panthers crushed Chestnut Hill in Garden City, bolting out to a 41-16 lead and never allowed the Griffins to come any closer than 19 the entirety of the second half as they converted a whopping 63% of their shots (79% prior to intermission). Conor Regan boasted a perfect shooting day vs. his former team (7-7 FG, 2-2 from 3, 3-3 FT) in tabulating a game-high 19 points. All five Chestnut Hill players scored in double digits, led by Donald James Imo’s 18.
Goldey-Beacom also won a pair over the past week, holding off Chestnut Hill in Pike Creek behind Zayon Marsh (19 of his 25 points in the first half) and Ayshion Centeno (19 points). The Lightning never trailed and used a 10-0 second-half charge to provide the necessary distance at 56-44, never allowing the Griffins to come any closer than five down the stretch. Imo hit for 24 in a losing effort. Prior to that win, the Lightning won its 18th in 19 all-time meetings vs. Georgian Court, opening up as much as a 65-47 advantage with 10:30 remaining and keeping the Lions out of reach the rest of the way in a six-point triumph. Damani Thomas seems to like the Wellness Center as he matched his previous career high of 27 points, set last season in the same gym, while shooting 7-14 on the day – all from 3-point range. Rookie guard Justin Harper (16 points, 6-9 FG, eight rebounds) and Donavin Crawford (15 points, 3-3 from 3) fueled Georgian Court off the bench as Goldey attempted nearly twice as many free throws (23-37 to 17-19) and took much better care of the rock (23/9 assist-turnover ratio compared to GCU's 13/20). The start of this game was delayed 42 minutes due to a broken rim during warmups.
Georgian Court lost a ninth straight, falling to Charleston (WV) in a rare Tuesday afternoon affair in Lakewood. Eddie Colbert, Jr. (17 points, eight rebounds) provided the first nine points of an 11-0 burst for the Golden Eagles, who turned a 49-39 game into a 60-39 runaway with 6:36 remaining. Anthony Rivera accounted for 14 points and six boards in the loss. A silver lining in this one was GCU limiting Charleston – one of the top 3-point shooting teams in D2 – to just 4-27 from long range.
Just two days later, the Lions’ fortunes changed in yet another midweek matinee vs. District of Columbia, snapping the nine-game downturn. Cameron Edwards piloted the winners with a career-high 27 points and five steals, rewriting the record book with 15 made free throws in 17 attempts (Jelani Jackson went 13-13 vs. Mercy on November 24, 2021), while Rivera flanked him with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Eric Morgan, Jr. accounted for 17 points in defeat for UDC, which shot a miserable 24% over the first 20 minutes and never came closer than the eight-point final margin.
Another East Region team halted a long dry spell as Mercy took care of business vs. Cheyney (PA) to win its fist in 11 tries this season, meaning all 33 regional teams now have wins under their belt. Regional rebounding leader Jayden Dewaal racked up 24 points and nine boards, while Taj Childs turned in a 17-point, 10-assist performance to power the Mavericks. A 12-2 splash out of the halftime break doubled the lead to 56-36 and the margin hovered between 14-24 the rest of the way vs. the unaffiliated Wolves.
Despite a career-best 27 points (10-16 FG) and eight rebounds from Trayton Trice, D’Youville fell to Notre Dame, 91-81, in South Euclid, Ohio. The Saints were in front 59-57 just over eight minutes into the second half when the Falcons unleashed a 21-4 onslaught to establish a 78-63 chasm at the six-minute juncture, never allowing their first-time guests any closer than eight the remainder of the game.
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