The last full weekend of conference action in the East Region provides us with a much clearer playoff picture as 23 of the 24 postseason teams have been determined, though seeding still remains fuzzy in most precincts. Let’s begin the big rundown with a pair of rivalry games in the CACC that yielded surprising results:
WILMINGTON 79 GOLDEY-BEACOM 77
Nick Richards erupted for 34 points (14-17 FG, 3-3 from long range) and seven rebounds, while Tyaire Ponzo-Meek chalked up 20 points and five assists in leading Wilmington past Delaware rival Goldey-Beacom at the Joseph West Jones Center for second place in the CACC South, a season sweep and a guaranteed first-round home game in the playoffs. In front of a raucous, packed house, the Wildcats opened up the largest lead of the night at 58-49 just over five minutes into the second half before the hosts uncorked a 19-4 run – capped by a Parris Ridgeway-Higgs 3-pointer – that put the Lightning on top, 68-62 with 6:42 to play. It was 72-67 inside of four minutes when Ponzo-Meek keyed an 11-2 uprising – including the go-ahead three with 47 seconds left and two-of-four shooting at the line – as the Wildcats took control at 78-74 with 10 ticks remaining. Ridgeway-Higgs – who garnered 26 points (9-15 FG, 4-7 from 3) and four assists – halved the deficit with a layup at :04 and Masner Beauplan was fouled, splitting a pair at the stripe one second later (his only point) to make it a 77-74 game. Goldey was not allowed a chance to tie it as Ridgeway-Higgs was fouled in the final second and made the first free throw before intentionally missing the second. The attempt was wiped away, however, due to a lane violation, giving the Lightning a third consecutive loss, by a grand total of just five points, and consigning the team to a third-place finish and first-round road game vs. either Bloomfield or Dominican next Saturday. Wilmington, meanwhile, sits a game out of first but has a shot to earn the top seed via tiebreaker with a win at Philadelphia on Tuesday. A home game vs. either Caldwell or Post awaits. Drew Johnson II tossed in 11 points for the Cats, who won despite being outshot (49%-48%), outrebounded (39-29) and out-assisted (16-11). Goldey-Beacom – which received 15 points (6-9 FG) and eight rebounds from Dante Thompson - was beset by 23 turnovers.
CALDWELL 86 BLOOMFIELD 78
Freshman forward Eric Johnson-Alford cashed in a personal-best 19 points (8-11 FG) and five steals in guiding Caldwell past North Jersey foe Bloomfield to clinch third place in the North, avenge a home loss a month ago and snap a nine-game losing streak at The Den dating back to a 79-74 win on February 7, 2008. After allowing the first basket, the Cougars never trailed on the afternoon, jumping out to a 31-18 lead en route to a 43-35 halftime divide. It was still a 59-47 advantage with 11-and-a-half minutes to go when the Bears embarked on a 20-9 jaunt to inch within 68-67 following a Rakwan Kelly jumper with 4:20 on the clock. That’s as close as the hosts would get, though, as Ahmad Harrison (nine points, four assists) banged a huge three on the ensuing possession, kicking off a 10-2 spurt that opened things up at 78-69 with 1:11 to play; the margin never dipping below five thereafter. Zay Jennings sported 18 points and six rebounds off the bench for Cadwell, which also benefited from Austin Woods’ 13 and seven, respectively. Dontay Julius was high man for Bloomfield with 20 points (4-7 from deep) off the bench, followed by Marcus Fleming (17 points, four assists), Nick Davidson (16 points, six rebounds) and Kelly (13 points, nine boards, five assists). Foul shooting was key as the Cougars turned the tables on their hosts with a decisive edge (20-28 to 9-16) while also scoring nearly twice as often off turnovers (19-10), helping offset a 45-33 rebound disparity, including 18-8 on the offensive end, resulting in a 23-11 boon in second-chance scoring. Caldwell will travel to either Philadelphia or Wilmington in the first round while the Bears need a home win vs. Dominican on Tuesday to claim the North Division crown, and will host either USciences or Goldey-Beacom in their playoff opener.
DOMINICAN 83 NYACK 73
Dominican remains in play for that North Division title after outlasting Nyack at the Hennessy Center – the second win vs. its Rockland County rival in six days. The Chargers reeled off the first 12 points of the day and never looked back, stretching the spread to 46-26 shortly before intermission and maintaining a 56-37 cushion nearly five minutes into the second half before a 12-2 flurry brought the Warriors within striking distance at 58-49 after a Ga’briel Chandler lay-up with 11:22 left. An 11-3 counter-run culminated in two foul shots by Gerrel Irvin (19 points, 8-10 FG, nine rebounds, five assists) at the 7:32 mark, and the visitors never came closer than eight the rest of the way in falling for an eighth straight time. Daraja Rodwell (17 points, 4-8 from downtown Orangeburg), Krisopher Hargraves (12 points) and Daniel Grant (11 points, 9-11 FT) were all instrumental to the winning cause, while Robert Tyler (24 points on 10-of-16 shooting) and Chandler (12 off the bench) carried the load for Nyack. Both teams shot it well overall (DC 54%, NC 49%) and Nyack won the glass (36-33), supplying a 13-6 second-chance scoring edge. As is the case in the South, the second-place team would earn a share of first place with a win on Tuesday, and gain the top seed by virtue of a tiebreaker. If the Chargers win at Bloomfield in their regular-season finale, they will host University of the Sciences. If they lose, Goldey-Beacom will be the opponent.
PHILADELPHIA 80 HOLY FAMILY 67
Philadelphia is one win away from the South Division title after holding off crosstown rival Holy Family at the Campus Center for its fourth straight triumph. A 22-9 dash over a seven-minute span expanded a modest 41-37 lead to 63-46 with 10:28 remaining, and the margin fluctuated between 11 and 15 over the last 9:09 as the Rams improved to 29-6 all-time in the series. Kylan Guerra furnished 10 of the 22 points during the surge, highlighting a 22-point (7-12 FG), seven-rebound, five-steal performance. Malcolm Gilbert added a career-high 20 points (9-11 FG) and six rebounds, while Josh Brandanese (15, 9) and Kaison Randolph (11 points, nine boards, six assists) also made impacts for the victors, who outshot their hosts 51%-38%. Dyllon Hudson-Emory topped the Tigers’ score sheet with 21 points, 13 rebounds and five helpers. He was supported by freshmen Austin Chabot (season-bests of 16 points and nine rebounds) and Randy Bell (10 points in a rare reserve role). Both teams struggled from beyond the arc (PU 4-19, HFU 5-21). If Philly U. beats Wilmington on Tuesday, it will earn the #1 seed, whereas a loss means second.
USCIENCES 65 CHESTNUT HILL 43
The other two schools in the City of Brotherly love clashed across town in University City as University of the Sciences stifled Chestnut Hill to claim the fourth and final South Division playoff spot. Flo Da-Silva matched his career high with 20 points (10-13 FG) while adding seven rebounds and as many assists to his ledger as the Devils led from pillar to post, claiming the first 11 points and maintaining a double-digit upper hand the entire second stanza; the lead bouncing between 13 and 22 over the final 18:08 as they limited their guests to a mere two baskets over the last 10:56. Will Gregorits (14 points, 11 rebounds), Jon McGill (10, 6) and Beni Toure (10, 11 off the bench) also played well for USciences, which was the vastly superior shooting (50%-29%), rebounding (41-21) and assisting (17-7) team, feasting in the paint (31-10) and off turnovers (19-5). Liban Awl paced the Griffins with 14 points and seven boards, followed by Demetrius Isaac (11 points) and Chris Evans (10).
BENTLEY 91 ST. ANSELM 85
The remaining mystery in the NE-10 playoff chase exists in the Northeast Division, where teams two through six are fighting for positioning and one of two teams vying for the last regional postseason berth. Bentley took a major step in pursuit of that goal with a spirited comeback vs. St. Anselm at the Dana Center, outscoring its guests 10-2 over the final 1:45 to stay alive. The Falcons first overcame a 65-60 deficit with just over nine minutes to go, riding a 13-2 wave that culminated in a Brandon Wheeler lay-up at the 6:12 mark that put the hosts on top 73-67. Back came the Hawks with a 14-6 rush as Grant Mackay delivered the tying and go-ahead lay-ups on successive possessions (he produced eight points on 3-of-3 shooting off the pine) that made it an 83-81 game. Kyle Bouchard – who tied his career high with 18 points (7-11 FG) and grabbed seven rebounds – then buried a go-ahead triple from the left wing to spark the closing run, with Ryan Richmond again coming up huge in crunch time with a lay-up and top-of-the-key three that fleshed out the lead to 89-83 with 43 seconds on the clock. Ferguson Duke (10 points, seven rebounds) then put the finishing touches on the crucial victory with two free throws in four attempts over the last 17.4 seconds as Bentley moved into sole possession of the fifth and final playoff spot, needing either a win at Merrimack or Stonehill home loss to St. Michael’s on Tuesday to earn the right to play in the postseason. Richmond once again spearheaded the Falcons' attack with 25 of his 34 points (12-22 FG, 4-7 from 3) coming after intermission, as well as four assists. Wheeler kicked in 14 points and snatched six boards for Bentley, which can finish as high as fourth place with a win, coupled with a Franklin Pierce loss. Harrison Taggart recorded 28 points – including the 1,000th of his career – for St. A’s, while adding eight rebounds and five assists to his stat line. Tim Guers (11 boards, seven assists) and Taylor Fortin (five dishes) each contributed 15 points and Chris Braley 10 in a losing effort as the Hawks were sloppier with the basketball (15-7 in turnovers and outscored 16-3 off of them), negating better board work (41-33) and a 19-11 assist edge. St. Anselm is currently tied for second place and can finish anywhere between second and fourth.
FRANKLIN PIERCE 81 MERRIMACK 69
Mike McDevitt equaled a career high with 24 points (9-14 FG) and Marvilio Berroa reached new heights with 18 points (7-10 FG, 3-5 from long range) and five assists, leading Franklin Pierce to victory over Merrimack in Rindge to secure a playoff berth. After spotting their guests the first basket, the Ravens led the rest of the way, carving out as much as a 38-24 advantage on the way to a 44-34 halftime cushion. The gap grew to 68-52 inside of the last seven minutes when the Warriors used an 11-1 run in whittling down the deficit to 69-63 after a Juvaris Hayes lay-up with 4:19 still to play. They would get no closer, however, as Pierce rattled off seven straight, capped by McDevitt’s dagger 3-ball that made it 76-63 with 2:04 left, essentially salting away the game. Matt Banton chimed in with 15 points and eight rebounds for the Ravens, who also received notable outings from Jordan Lackey (14, 6 in a reserve role) and Donte Gittens (six points, eight rebounds, nine assists, three blocked shots). Hayes led the way for Merrimack by racking up 18 points, nine boards, six assists and four steals, with Ryan Boulter (16 points) and Anthony Barry (10 points and rebounds) providing depth. Franklin Pierce – which can finish anywhere between second and fifth – outshot (53%-37%), outrebounded (48-32) and out-assisted (22-10) its guests despite being outscored 16-6 off of mistakes, sweeping the season series. The Warriors can finish second, third or fourth.
SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE 76 STONEHILL 58
Across the Granite State in Manchester, Southern New Hampshire put a bow on the Northeast Division crown and secured home court for the playoffs with a strong outing against Stonehill, avenging a December loss and improving to 14-0 at the Field House (17 straight dating to last season), the lone unblemished home record in the region. Chris Walters was front and center in this one, logging 24 points (9-14 FG), nine rebounds and an array of eye-popping dunks as the Penmen seized the reins with a 21-9 spell at the outset that increased to 41-27 by halftime after a punctuation-mark trey by Devin Gilligan five seconds shy of the buzzer (he was 4-of-5 from afar as part of a 14-point, eight-rebound effort). The lead crested at 52-33 shortly after the restart following a pair of Walters tosses, but the Skyhawks pushed back with a 17-6 run, closing within 58-50 after a trifecta by Ryan Largey (17 points, 6-9 FG, 3-5 from 3) with 7:17 remaining. Walters quelled the momentum with a basket and supplied half the points in a 14-2 upswing that put the game out of reach at 70-52 with 4:01 to go. Daquaise Andrews collected 13 points and seven caroms for SNHU, which shot at a higher clip overall (50%-40%) and from distance (10-20 to 6-25) while benefiting from a 25-16 turnover advantage, offsetting an 8-for-15 performance at the stripe and 37-31 rebounding shortfall, which led to a 12-4 deficiency in second-chance scoring. Stonehill needs to beat St. Michael’s at home on Tuesday and have Bentley fall at Merrimack to punch its ticket to the postseason.
MOLLOY 73 DAEMEN 71
With a week’s worth of games still to be played, all the playoff teams in the ECC are somehow set. The game of the weekend in the conference took place in the westernmost outpost as Molloy shaded Daemen in the waning seconds for the second time in as many meetings, earning its first-ever win in Buffalo and gaining sole possession of third place, half a game out of a first-round bye. Jaylen Morris deposited 19 of his 25 points (9-15 FG) in the second half, and snared eight rebounds during his happy homecoming, but it was senior classmate Charlie Marquardt who delivered the fatal blow – a step-back 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds on the clock that accounted for the 11th and final lead change and wiped out a go-ahead Jaleo Wilkes jumper with 32 seconds left that gave the hosts a temporary 71-70 edge. Marquardt’s big triple came after Curtis Jenkins’ potential go-ahead shot was blocked and the Lions received possession on a favorable arrow following a held ball. Molloy trailed most of the afternoon, and by as much as 48-39 early in the second half before the game tightened up and went back and forth down the stretch. Marquardt finished with 19 points, six rebounds and career-best eight steals for the winners, who also placed Nick Corbett (16 points in 40 minutes, including go-ahead foul shots with 45 seconds to play) and Jenkins (10 points, eight rebounds) in double figures. Deion Hamilton tallied 22 points (3-3 from deep) and eight rebounds off the bench for the Wildcats, who shot better from the field (46%-42%) but were outscored on the break (19-7) and off turnovers (16-6). Arif Mehmetaj (14 points, six rebounds) and Wilkes (13 points in a reserve role) made their presences felt for Daemen, as did Supreme Hannah (nine points), who had a shot for the tie that fell short as time expired. The Cats are tied for fourth and can finish anywhere between second and sixth.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 79 MERCY 64
District of Columbia is tied with Daemen for fourth after beating Mercy going away at the UDC Sports Complex in the lone Sunday contest. A 12-0 run – highlighted by a dunk and 3-pointer from Reggie Sidbury – increased a tenuous 65-60 lead to 77-60 with 2:13 remaining, effectively removing any lingering doubt. Joseph Nickerson stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points (3-5 from downtown Washington), 10 rebounds, eight assists and career-best seven steals to regain the top spot in the nation (3.23 thefts per game). He was supported by Traevon Butler (16 points, six boards, four assists), Sidbury (13 points off the bench), Kyle Williams (12 points, seven rebounds) and Kasim Chandler (12 points, 3-5 from distance, five assists) as the Firebirds shot it better (48%-36%), especially from beyond the arc (12-27 to 5-19), and handed out more than twice as many assists (24-11). Raphael Jennings dropped a game-high 22 points for the Mavs in his return home, while Will Robinson (13 points, six rebounds) and Kelvin Howard (10 points, 10 caroms, six steals) also played well in a losing cause. Mercy made more trips to the line (19-26 to 5-8) to remain within reach but ultimately, it wasn’t enough to prevent a 15th straight loss. The UDC win officially eliminated LIU Post from postseason contention.
QUEENS 84 LIU POST 72
The big punch to LIU Post;s gut came a day earlier as the team it was chasing for the sixth and final playoff berth – Queens – completed a season sweep with a determined effort in Brookville, clinching a postseason spot and snapping its hosts’ four-game win streak. The Knights trailed 18-17 before Simon Green (18 points, four assists) provided a spark off the bench with a lay-up that triggered a 21-5 spree and put the visitors in control at 38-23 with 2:09 to go in the half. The lead peaked at 57-41 five minutes into the final period before the Pioneers came to life with a 21-8 run, creeping within 65-62 after a Greg Dotson put-back with 6:28 on the clock. A 3-ball by Tyrone Hall (seven points, six boards in reserve duty) stanched the bleeding and initiated a killer 9-0 spurt that boosted the lead back to 74-62 at the 3:10 mark; the differential hovering between nine and 13 the balance of the ballgame. Kevin Buron netted a personal-best 11 points (3-3 from 3) and Tyree White managed 10 points and nine rebounds for Queens, which received at least six points from nine different players and can finish anywhere between fourth and sixth. The Knights were the more accurate shooters (47%-38%), especially from long range (12-21 to 8-25) as they shot a ridiculous 28-for-46 (61%) from 3-point range in the two meetings against LIU Post this season. Jared Hall topped the Pioneers’ scorecard with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, followed by Dotson (14 points, six boards, four blocks), Kyle McLeggan (11 points) and Hall Elisias (10 points, 8-8 FT, 11 rebounds off the bench).
Le MOYNE 75 SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 60
Tanner Hyland hit for 19 points (6-9 FG, 4-5 from deep) off the bench and Le Moyne used a 22-3 second-half blitz to power its way past Southern Connecticut at the Henninger Athletic Center for its sixth straight win and first-ever NE10 Southwest Division title. An extremely tight game for most of the afternoon (three was the largest separation over a 15:19 stretch spanning the halves), the Dolphins faced a 49-47 deficit inside of the final nine minutes before engineering the big run that gave them a 69-52 bulge with 7:10 to play; the lead barely budging between 12 and 17 down the stretch. Isaiah Eisendorf registered 15 of his 17 points in the second half, including nine during the big burst, while pulling down 10 rebounds and handing out four assists on the day. Russell Sangster chipped in with 13 points (9-10 FT) for the regional leaders, who shot it better overall (41%-33%), especially from downtown Syracuse (11-22 to 7-29). Jerry Luckett, Jr. (eight rebounds) and Joey Wallace (six) each rang up 17 points for Southern (tyhe latter doing all his damage before the break), which also received a season-low 10 points (3-14 FG) and six assists from Michael Mallory. The result locks the Owls into the three seed in the upcoming NE10 Tourney.
SAINT ROSE 108 AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 71
Saint Rose grabs the two seed after blasting American International down the Thruway for its fifth straight triumph, enjoying its most productive offensive day since a 108-98 victory at Dominican on December 21, 2002. Thirteen of the 14 Golden Knights reached the scorebook in this one, including five in double figures: Tyler Sayre (24 points), Mical-Ryan Boyd (15 points, 6-6 FG, 3-3 from downtown Albany), Chris Dorgler (15 points, 3-3 from 3, eight assists), Jack Jones (12 points off the bench) and Julian Lipinsky (10 points, 11 boards). The hosts trailed 13-10 before unleashing a 26-5 tear to double up AIC 36-18. The score was still a competitive 48-35 two-and-a-half minutes into the second period before a Dorgler trifecta commenced a 32-15 barrage that was topped off by a Jones slam, making it 80-50 with 9:03 left. The margin ranged between 27 and 40 the balance of the ballgame as the Knights shot a blistering 67% from the floor (AIC was 42%) and compiled a spectacular 29/5 assist-turnover ratio (AIC was 9/14), leading to a 25-3 punishment off miscues. Both teams shot it well from distance (CSR 10-21, AIC 12-22) but Saint Rose was far better in the paint (42-15), at the line (10-12 to 19-29) and on the glass (31-21). Juwan Moody was the best of the bunch for the Yellow Jackets with 22 points (6-8 FG, all from beyond the arc), followed by Jayvon Pitts-Young (18 points, eight rebounds) and Bruce Spruell (12 points).
NEW HAVEN 98 PACE 74
The only team that shot better than Saint Rose over the weekend was New Haven, which hit at an unconscious 71% clip, missing only 13 attempts all afternoon in a wire-to-wire walloping of Pace in Pleasantville. Michael Bourke was the lead assassin for the Chargers, exploding for a career-high 35 points (11-16 FG, 9-14 from deep) and somehow managing to dish out five assists as his team bolted out to leads of 12-0 and 29-9 before taking a 52-29 bulge into the break. The Setters came out of the locker room with a 10-2 flurry to move within 54-39 after a Ryan Peterson jumper, but Bourke ended the momentum with a trey that jump-started a 17-9 counter-run and broadened the advantage to 71-48 with 12:29 remaining. Pace never came closer than 17 after that, falling for a fourth straight time. Roy Kane, Jr. (13 points, 3-4 from afar), Mihailo Vasic (12 points, 5-5 FG, five assists) and Tommy Hunt (10 points off the bench) offered ample support for New Haven, which was a red-hot 18-for-28 from behind the 3-point line (PU was 8-25), made twice as many free throws (16-19 to 8-14), won the glass (32-23) and meted out the lion’s share of assists (23-9). Christian White posted 26 points, Peterson 21 and Austin Mofunanya 10 for the Setters, whose lone statistical advantages were second-chance scoring (13-4) and points off turnovers (19-9). Fifth-place New Haven awaits its first-round tourney opponent, which can be any of four teams.
CONCORDIA 72 POST 71
Just down the road at the Meyer Center, Concordia experienced both jubilation and heartbreak within mere seconds after a scintillating win against Post that – at the moment – kept its playoff hopes afloat, only to be dashed upon learning that Caldwell’s upset win at Bloomfield eliminated the Clippers from the postseason picture. Jalen Heath provided the last moment of joy in the season for the hosts, nailing the winning 3-pointer from the left-corner on a designed baseline inbounds play with five seconds to go. The senior guard notched 13 points and 11 rebounds for Concordia, which saw a 32-29 halftime advantage evaporate after the Eagles opened the second period with a 20-6 outburst to zoom in front, 49-38, after a lay-up by Tyler Desrosiers (27 points, 10-14 FG, 3-5 from downtown Bronxville). It was 60-53 inside the eight-minute mark when the hosts instigated a 16-5 run to regain a 69-65 upper hand with 3:03 on the clock. But the visitors accounted for the next six, grabbing their final lead – 71-69 – on two Desrosiers foul shots with 13 seconds left, setting up Heath’s game-winner. Malcolm Amos – who had a miserable shooting day (1-12) – could not connect on a desperation shot at the buzzer as the late-charging Clippers captured their fourth straight win, landing Stephen Milhaven (18 points, nine rebounds), Elijah Brown (12, 7) and Cedric McFadden (11 points) in twin figures. Matt Mareno (18 points, 10 boards) and Joseph Lockwood (12, 8) played well on the front line for Post, which will meet either Philadelphia or Wilmington on the road in the first round of the upcoming CACC Tournament. The Eagles were a little better in the shooting department (43%-39%) and did more damage in the paint (46-34) but the Clippers made twice as many threes (8-25 to 4-18), which proved the key stat in a boxscore that is as even as you’ll ever see, with eight ties and 12 lead changes underscoring that fact. Concordia becomes the third team in the CACC's NCAA era to win as many as nine conference games and yet fall short of the playoffs. Amazingly, they are responsible for the other two instances - in 2011 and 2013 - and can even win an unprecedented 10th on Tuesday in a meannigless game vs. Caldwell.
ASSUMPTION 98 ST. MICHAEL’S 88
Reserve rookie Malik Brown came alive with personal bests of 21 points (9-12 FG) and 12 rebounds to lead six in double figures as Assumption snapped a five-game skid with a win over St. Michael’s in suburban Burlington. A 24-5 charge spanning the halftime break flipped a 37-32 deficit into a 56-42 lead for the Greyhounds, who expanded the divide to 87-66 before withstanding a late St. Mike’s comeback bid (the final 10-point differential being the closest the hosts came in the waning moments). Justin Tuckson drove home 15 points in a reserve role for the Hounds, who also received solid outings from Damien Rance (16 points, five assists), Branislav Vujadinovic (14 points) and Declan Soukup (14 points, four helpers). Matt Bonds came up big for the Purple Knights yet again with 26 points (10-14 FG), followed by Levi Holmes III (16 points), Thomas Jackson (ditto, on 5-of-5 shooting) and Stan Foster (10 points off the bench) in their team’s fourth straight setback. Both clubs shot very well overall (AC 61%, SMC 53%) and from long range (AC 9-16, SMC 7-15) while boasting positive assist-turnover ratios (AC 17/10, SMC 14/11). The P-Knights were better boardsmen (29-25), fueling a 15-6 second-chance advantage.
NYIT 102 ROBERTS WESLEYAN 88
Jon Feiler amassed 28 points (101-6 FG), 17 rebounds and six assists, while Jeffrey Hayden totaled 24 points (10-13 FG) and eight boards as New York Institute of Technology won a track meet against Roberts Wesleyan at Recreation Hall to halt a seven-game slide. The Bears trailed only once all afternoon (18-17) before launching a 24-6 run to seize the lead at 38-24. A 13-0 torrent at the outset of the second half – capped by a Hayden “And-1” – lengthened a 49-40 advantage to 62-40 and the Redhawks came no closer than 11 points afterward. Kachi Nzerem (19 points, 5-6 FG) and Keiran Hamilton (11) also reached double digits for the winners, who outshot (56%-43%) and outrebounded (49-37) Roberts, while also feasting at the foul line (30-38 to 12-20), offsetting a 15-7 turnover disparity. Manny Joseph led all five Redhawks starters in doubles with 22 points (3-3 from 3) and eight rebounds. He was followed by Isaiah Lewis (16 points), Malik Dare (14 points, 6-9 FG, seven boards), Quinn Carey (13 points) and Tristan Brown (12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists).
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 105 GEORGIAN COURT 75
The region’s final regular-season crossover game pitted the team with the best record against the one with the worst – and the result bore out those facts as St. Thomas Aquinas handed Georgian Court its 19th straight loss, pulling away in the second half at Aquinas Hall and placing six players in twin figures along the way. Senior guards Aaron Cust (23 points on 10-of-15 shooting) and Chaz Watler (20 points, 7-10 FG, 5-8 from deep; five assists) led the charge for the Spartans, who never trailed, but found themselves ahead by just 56-45 early in the second half before setting in motion a 30-8 rampage, capped by a Daniel Wilson dunk, that put the game out of reach at 86-53 with 12:49 to play; the margin hovering between 28 and 36 the rest of the day. Adam Koziol churned out 13 points off the bench for STAC, which also received noteworthy games from Wilson (12 off the pine, 6-6 FG), Justin Reyes (12 points, six assists, two swats) and James Mitchell (11 points, five assists). Nikola Vujovic powered the Lions with 26 points (2-2 from downtown Sparkill), with support from Caleb Bowser (13 points, 5-6 FG, 3-3 from 3) and Tony Ellington, Jr. (12 points on pristine shooting: 3-3 FG, 2-2 from distance and 4-4 FT). Both teams canned more shots than they missed (STAC 60%, GCU 51%) and made noise beyond the arc (STAC 14-34, GCU 10-18). Georgian Court was whistled for just nine of the game’s 32 fouls and, accordingly, benefited at the line (21-28 to 7-10), but they fell victim to Aquinas’ trapping defense, getting outscored by a mind-boggling 54-11 margin off of mistakes as the two teams tabulated near-opposite assist-turnover lines (STAC 24/12, GCU 12/25). The Spartans have clinched a first-round bye and can win the ECC’s regular-season crown with a win at Mercy on Wednesday or a Bridgeport loss in any of its three final games, among other scenarios.