The East Coast Conference took center stage on Wednesday with travel partners matching up for the final time, with the tightening plaoff chase topping the headlines:
DOWLING 79 BRIDGEPORT 65
Chris Millender exploded for 15 points, 10 rebounds and five steals to lead Dowling past Bridgeport in Oakdale. The shot-in-the-arm win brings the Golden Lions within a game of the sixth and final playoff spot as they jumped on their guests early – 23-4 – and never let up, expanding the gap to 47-24 early in the second half after a Millender 3-point play, before the Purple Knights orchestrated a 29-14 jaunt to close within 61-53 following a triple from Stefano Osuji (10 points, 3-5 from long range) with 9:44 to play. They would get no closer, though, as Evan Maxwell (13 points) converted an “And-1” 10 seconds later, sparking an 8-0 spurt that stretched the lead to 69-53 with 8:15 left. The P-Knights – who also received 10 points and seven rebounds from Ernest Rouse – came no closer than 11 thereafter, despite winning the glass battle 49-39. Dowling did more damage at the foul line (20-33 to 8-12) and forced more than twice as many turnovers (25-12), fueling a 27-10 boon in mistake points. Ali Mableton recorded 15 points for the winners, who also landed Myron Hickman (13 points off the bench) and Kevin Hickey (12 points, personal-best 10 rebounds, four assists, five swipes) in double figures. Both teams demonstrated an icy touch from beyond the arc (DC 3-13, UB 5-23). Bridgeport is now tied for fourth and in danger of losing a home playoff berth.
QUEENS 84 MOLLOY 81
Queens is also a game off the pace after outlasting Molloy at Quealy Gym for its fourth straight victory. Diego Maldonado enjoyed a career night with 26 points (8-13 FG, 8-10 FT) in 40 minutes of action, while Travis Whitfield (18 points, 6-9 FG, 3-3 from deep) and Tyree White (16 points, 9-9 FT, seven rebounds, 10 assists, six steals) also made key impacts for the Knights, who never trailed in the contest, bolting out to a 21-3 lead before taking a 53-42 advantage into the locker room. The Lions – who were dealt a crushing blow to their playoff hopes – clawed nearly all the way back, pulling within 83-81 after a lay-up by Kevin Bowles (10 points) with 13 seconds remaining but that would be it for the hosts’ scoring. Mohamed Dansoko chipped in with 10 points for Queens, which was the superior shooting team (58%-46%) and dominated in the paint (40-22). Charles Marquardt topped the Molloy score sheet with 24 points (6-11 from downtown Rockville Centre) and seven rebounds while being supported by Brandon Williams (22 points, eight assists) and Curtis Jenkins (12 points off the bench) as the Lions slipped three games out of the last playoff spot with four games to go.
LIU POST 80 NYIT 73
The latest installment of the “Battle of the Boulevard” turned into a game of two halves as LIU Post handed New York Institute of Technology its sixth straight setback and pulled into a tie for fourth place. The Pioneers led from wire to wire in this one, opening up leads of 14-2 and 30-15 en route to a 47-24 halftime cushion. The Bears came out of hibernation after the break, however, slashing a 24-deficit to 65-61 after a Khalif Chaplin lay-up with 6:35 on the clock, making the home fans squirm in their seats. It was still a 72-67 game inside the two-minute mark when Jared Hall (20 points, 9-10 FT, nine rebounds off the bench) nailed four straight foul shots, broadening the margin to 76-67 with 1:22 left. NYIT came no closer than the seven-point final spread the rest of the way despite another strong outing from Chaplin, who notched 19 of his 26 points in the second half and handed out four assists. Kachi Nzerem (14 points, six rebounds), Maksis Uskans (12 points) and Henrik Davidsen (10) added solid support in a losing cause for the Bears, who shot a mere 33% from the field but made their push thanks to a 22-11 doubling in points off turnovers. Akosa Maduegbunam – receiving a Senior Night start – set the tone early, opening the game by draining two straight trifectas as part of a 17-point, seven-rebound outing as LIU Post owned the backboards, 54-39.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 79 MERCY 44
Mercy continues to cling to that final playoff spot after getting shellacked by first-place St. Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill. Justin Reyes compiled 20 points (8-12 FG) and 10 rebounds in just 21 minutes of action to pace the Spartans, who cruised to their 15th straight triumph, the last three coming over the last six games at Aquinas Hall. Reserve rookie guard Jonathan Lawton provided 11 points, personal-best six rebounds and season high-tying six assists for STAC, which trailed 14-12 inside the midway mark of the opening period before closing out the period with a 30-11 rush to boast a 42-25 bulge. After trading baskets upon the restart, the Spartans unleashed another 18-2 run, fattening the advantage to 62-29, and the divide crested at 40 (76-36) with 4:10 to play. Aaron Cust registered 11 points off the bench for Aquinas, which outshot (42%-29%), outrebounded (51-38) and out-assisted (20-8) the Mavericks, outscoring them 40-12 in the paint and 10-0 on the break. Raphael Jennings was the lone double-digit scorer for Mercy with 10 points, but his team was atrocious at the line (11-27) and, despite leading the nation in offensive rebounds, allowed 18 second-chance points while only scoring one. With the win, the Spartans have clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs and are one win (or Daemen loss) away from repeating as regular-season champs.
SNOWED OUT
The only other game scheduled in ECC play pitted upstate New York rivals Roberts Wesleyan and Daemen in Buffalo, but due to a major snowstorm in Western New York, that game was pushed back to Wednesday.