The first full day of CACC action highlighted Tuesday's schedule:
WILMINGTON 69 JEFFERSON 62
Jermaine Head compiled 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in leading Wilmington past Jefferson for the third straight year in Newark. Tyler Norwood, Dawson Grinnage (seven rebounds) and Danny Walsh each chipped in with a doezen points (the latter doing so on 4-of-5 shooting beyond the arc) as the Wildcats never trailed on the night, using a 10-2 spurt at the start of the second half in stretching a 30-28 lead to 40-30. The margin crested at 55-40 after a Head 3-pointer with 6:30 to play before the Rams battled back within 65-59 on a Josh Brandanese trey with 32 seconds left. Walsh and Head then knocked down free throws to secure the triumph as the hosts outshot Jefferson overall (46%-36%) and from long range (9-18 to 9-25). Brandanese supplied 20 points and nine rebounds in a losing effort, followed by Kylan Guerra (17 points) and Devaughn Mallory (10 points, 10 rebounds). Wilmington won despite sporting the inferior assist-turnover ratio (7/12 to 13/9).
HOLY FAMILY 77 SCIENCES 75
For the second straight time, Holy Family closed a road game with a clutch run, this time outscoring crosstown rival University of the Sciences 7-0 over the last 2:31 to pull out a heart-stopping win at Morgan Arena. The Tigers trailed 71-65 with 5:49 remaining after seven straight Tanner Kerr points. That represented the widest separation of the entire second half, and it was still a 70-65 shortfall before the final flouirish, with Kharon Randolph providing the go-ahead triple at the 39-second mark - his only hoop of the game. The Devils had three chances down the stretch - including potential winning 3-point jumpers by Paddy Casey (14 points, six assists) and Brandon Starr (10 points), but neither would fall as USciences stumbled for a fifth straight time. Vincenzo Dalessandro topped the Holy Family scoresheet with 20 points and six rebounds. He was supported by Dymir Montague (18 points, eight boards, five assists), Terrell Jones (16 bench points, 4-8 from downtown Philly) and defending CACC Rookie of the Week Patrick Robinson (15 points). Kerr led five Devils in double digits with a career-best 19 points (7-9 FG) and 10 rebounds. Brendan Crawford supplied 14 points, seven caroms and four assists, while Jordan White added a personal-best 11 points in a reserve role. Three-point proclivity was the key stat in this one (HFU 14-31, US 6-26).
CALDWELL 80 CONCORDIA 74
Caldwell is the league's first two-win team - with both coming on the road - after knocking off Concordia in Bronxville thanks largely to Ruud Lutterman's 22-point, 10-rebound double-double. A close game throughout, the Cougars were nursing a 74-72 lead inside of the two-minute warning when Ned Ogoemesim (12 points, six rebounds) banged a big trifecta to provide necessary breathing room and spark a 6-2 game-ending rush. Ahmad Harrison amassed 15 points, career-high 12 rebounds and five assists for the victors, who also received 10 points and nine boards from Vaughn Covington. Cedric McFadden (23 points, six assists) and CACC Player of the Week Stephen Millhaven (18 points, nine boards) did the heavy lifting for the Clippers, who were outworked on the glass, 44-32.
DOMINICAN 79 POST 68
Daraja Rodwell posted 21 points (3-5 from 3) and eight rebounds to lead five in double figures as Dominican pulled away from Post in Orangeburg, using a 22-4 tear in flipping a 38-37 deficit into a 59-42 lead with 9:15 to go. The Eagles - who were fronted by Tyshon Rogers' 21 points and nine rebounds - slashed their deficit to nine twice in the final 30 seconds, but it was too little, too late. Tavon Ginyard supplied 14 bench points (4-8 from deep) for the Chargers, who also collected 10 points apiece from Ian Gardener, Jonathan Garcia (seven rebounds, five assists) and Sayon Charles (4-5 FG in reserve duty). Isaiah Holmes provided 11 points off the pine for Post, but his team was outshot from the floor (49%-35%) and from distance (7-12 to 5-26) while getting out-assisted, 20-8 in falling to 0-3 at the Hennessy Center this season.
NYACK 80 FELICIAN 69
Carl Balthazar pumped in a career-high 22 points (7-8 FG, 4-5 from afar), 11 rebounds and four blocked shots, leading five in twin figures and powering Nyack past Felician at Bowman Gym. The Warriors were down 34-18 en route to a 43-29 halftime deficit before turning the tables after the restart, outscoring their guests 28-6 over the first 9:54 of the final frame, jumping in front 57-49 on a lay-up by Carl Witherspoon (12 points off the bench). The Golden Falcons - who have dropped five in a row - twice came within four points down the stretch, including 71-67 on a 3-ball by Jay'von Jackson (20 points off the bench, 4-5 from 3) with 1:58 on the clock. However, Mahlik Sherlock (12 points, eight rebounds) responded with a lay-up 27 seconds later to trigger a 9-2, game-closing flurry for the hosts. Joel Bailey (six boards) and Curtis Thompson (four assists) each tallied 10 for Nyack, which shot at a higher clip from the field (45%-34%) despite horrid 10-of-25 foul shooting and a 48-42 rebound disparity. Jaylen Colon garnered 15 points (5-7 FG) and five assists for Felician, which also received 11 points from Zamir WRight. The game featured the region's top two shot-blockers last year in Balthazar and Rahsaan Williams, who combined to reject five weak-ass attempts last night.
GOLDEY-BEACOM 72 GEORGIAN COURT 46
A 39-13 blitz over the last 17:03 propelled Goldey-Beacom past Georgian Court in Pike Creek. The Lightning led 33-30 before rattling off 17 unanswered to kickstart the power run, using solid outings from Mahir Johnson (15 points, four assists, four steals in a reserve role), Dwayne Dixon (14 points, eight rebounds), Corey Taite (13, 7) and Giovanni Jones (10, 6) to front the balanced attack. Caleb Bowser produced 15 points, six boards and four assists for the Lions, who also received a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double from Matt Ringel. Both teams were ice-cold from 3-point land (GBC 3-23, GCU 5-16), but Goldey was better at the foul line (11-13 to 3-11), in the paint (36-20), on the break (16-3), on second chances (11-0) and most notably off turnovers (28-6), boasting 13 of the game's 14 steals.
PACE 57 NEW HAVEN 52
There were three NE10 games on the docket, with the most notable result coming from Charger Gym as Pace outlasted New Haven in another defensive struggle for its first six-game win streak since January/February 2007. The Setters got off to a rocky start, trailing 20-11 before outscoring their hosts 15-4 over the final 5:52 of the half to edge in front 26-24. The run lenghtened to 27-8 as an Austin Gilbertson three five minutes into the second period opened up a 38-28 advantage. It was 52-41 with 80 seconds to play when the Chargers made a late push, outscoring Pace 11-3 to creep within 55-52 following a Najee Larcher 3-point play with six ticks left. That's where the road would end, however, as Brandon Jacobs sank the icing free throws three seconds later, wrapping up a strong 20-point, six-rebound, five-assist outing. Gilbertson and Peyton Wejnert both chimed in with a dozen points on the winning side, while Derrick Rowland was the lone double-digit scorer for New Haven with 14. Both sides were brutal beyond the arc (PU 5-20, UNH 3-26) and combined for more than twice as many turnovers (36) as assists (16).
ST. ANSELM 95 ST. MICHAEL'S 72
Make it seven straight for #4 St. Anselm, which had little trouble with St. Michael's in Colchester, landing six in double figures and leading from wire to wire for its seventh straight victory. The Hawks raced out to leads of 12-2 and 31-10 before taking a 45-24 cushion into intermission. The Purple Knights never came closer than 18 points in the second stanza despite a massive, career-high 33-point explosion (27 in the second half) from Jordan Guzman (13-23 FG, 5-9 from downtown Burlington), who somehow also found time to hand out five assists. Cody Ball led the measured St. A's attack with 17 points (4-7 from 3), including a lay-up with 5:12 remaining that provided the widest margin of the night at 88-55. Tim Guers (16 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four steals), Danny Evans (15 points, six helpers, six steals), Miles Tention (personal-best 13 points off the bench), Gustav Suhr-Jessen (11 points) and Chris Paul (10) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Hawks, who shot a robust 56% from the floor while feasting at the foul line (20-29 to 6-11), off turnovers (41-16) and on the break (22-2). St. Mike's outworked the region's top rebounding team on the backboards, 37-30 for small consolation.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 72 AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 61
Isaiah McLeod registered 31 points (4-8 from deep) and eight rebounds, while Luke Beesley racked up 12 points (6-6 FG) and 13 boards, guiding Southern Connecticut past American International at Butova Gym. In a game that saw eight ties and 14 lead changes, the Owls seized control with a 14-3 surge, sparked by a McLeod triple that snapped a 47-47 tie, as the visitors established a 61-50 advantage with 6:51 on the clock, never allosing AIC to come closer than five points thereafter. Ulyen Coleman managed 10 points for Southern, which won despite being outscored 16-2 on fast breaks. Isaiah Salter and Xion Golding (eight rebounds) both dropped a dozen in defeat for the Yellow Jackets, who also receioved 11 each from Trevaun Hyatt (seven boards) and Jordan Vidal. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc (SCSU 6-26, AIC 6-28).
POLL POSITION
St. Anselm leads the regional pack yet again in the NABC/Division 2 Coaches' Poll, holding steady at #4. Bentley vaults 10 spots to #14 while St. Thomas Aquinas slips five rungs to #23. Bellarmine (KY) remains #1 as the Top 8 stayed exactly the same.