The CACC concluded its regular season on Saturday, finalizing the playoff bracket, while the ECC set its field, with just the top two seeds yet to be determined. We begin the recap with a tremendous game in Sparkill that determined the playoff team joining Daemen with a first-round bye:
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 77 MOLLOY 75 (OT)
Sekou Cisse buried a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:24 to play in overtime and Osbel Caraballo drilled a dagger triple from the top of the key with 12 seconds left to beat the shot clock and open up a five-point insurance policy as St. Thomas Aquinas rallied from five down late in regulation to nip Molloy at Aquinas Hall and move within a half-game of idle Daemen atop the ECC standings. The Spartans’ seventh straight win earns them a first-round bye and puts pressure on Daemen to defeat Bridgeport at home on Sunday to secure the #1 seed. In a hard-fought game that featured nine ties, 18 lead changes and nothing more than a two-possession spread over the final 20:11, STAC’s 36-29 halftime advantage represented the widest gap of the day. It was also seven (42-35) nearly five minutes into the second stanza when the Lions began to roar, stringing together an 11-3 spurt to surge ahead 46-45 on a jumper by Josh Dennis (11 points on 5-of-7 shooting) with 10:19 remaining. The lead extended to 67-62 on a traditional 3-point play by Curtis Jenkins at the 1:18 mark before the hosts tallied the last five of regulation, including two clutch free throws by Kameron Murrell (four points, seven boards) with 13 ticks to go. Molloy was tied up on its last possession of the period, resulting in a turnover and setting the stage for the extra session. Jenkins - who racked up 31 points (12-21 FG, 3-4 from long range), nine rebounds and four assists - opened the bonus round with a jumper to give Molloy its last lead, then he closed out the scoring on a 3-ball with 1.7 on the clock, which proved too little, too late. Kevin Lynch topped the Spartans’ scorecard with 18 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Caraballo (16, 8), Zachary Rzewnecki (13 points off the bench) and Cisse (nine points, 12 rebounds). Nick Corbett dropped in 17 for Molloy, which locks up the three seed and will host #6 District of Columbia in Wednesday’s playoff opener. All the team stats were fairly close, though St. Thomas held slight advantages in most categories.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 75 QUEENS 62
District of Columbia commenced its playoff run a little early, punching its postseason ticket in a do-or-die battle for sixth place vs. Queens in Washington to secure the final playoff berth. Danny Shand shined in a Senior Day start, producing 27 points (14-14 FT) to match a career high, while Zachary Olukanni (14 points) and Kevin Cox (12) also played key roles in the win; the latter senior delivering an “And-1” that snapped a 49-49 deadlock and sparked a 26-10 game-clinching run that put the Firebirds in control at 75-59 with 29 seconds to play. Dwayne Henry, Jr. collected a career-high 29 points, including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, to carry the Knights, who also received 12 points and seven rebounds from Elijah Bovell in their fourth straight setback. UDC was the superior shooting team (52%-40%), though not from long distance (4-13 to 9-24). The Firebirds – who will open ECC Tourney play with their second trip to Molloy in less than a week – feasted at the foul line (23-24 to 5-10), offsetting disparities on the glass (34-27, including 18-7 on the offensive end) and in the assist department (14-7).
GOLDEY-BEACOM 92 WILMINGTON 85
The CACC Tournament field is all set for Tuesday’s quarterfinal round after the second dose of Rivalry Saturday. Goldey-Beacom wrapped up the second seed (and home playoff berth) by outlasting crosstown rival Wilmington at the Joseph West Jones Center, riding the coat-tails of the program’s most celebrated player, Corey Taite. The senior guard and defending CACC Player of the Year, who continues to re-write the Lightning record book, exploded for 35 points, six rebounds and four assists in 40 minutes, the latter number pushing his career total to a program-best 358 (he had already set the standards for scoring, field goals, free throws and 3-pointers). Taite received solid support from Kyle Elliot (22 points while also playing the entire game) and Giovanni Jones (11 points off the bench, all after intermission) as Goldey raced out to a 20-7 lead and kept its guests at arm’s length the majority of the afternoon, losing the lead only once thereafter (a 45-45 tie two minutes after the break). The Lightning maintained a single-digit lead the rest of the period, including a slim 75-74 edge inside of three minutes before Taite converted a huge trey (his record 205th and counting) and Jones tacked on a couple of free throws after a stop to open up some breathing room at 80-74. The Wildcats – who were spearheaded by Jermaine Head (26 points, 10 rebounds, four assists) and Thomas Farrior (21 points, 14 boards, three blocks) – came within three points three times down the stretch before Taite capped the scoring via two freebies with 15 seconds left. Alvin West (12 bench points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep), Jordan Harding (10 points, nine rebounds, four helpers) and Danny Walsh (10 points) also made their presences felt for the fourth-place Cats, who will play at North Division champ Bloomfield on Tuesday. The Lightning – which shot 51% from the floor and made twice as many foul shots (26-29 to 13-16) – will host Caldwell. Both teams made noise from beyond the arc (GBC 8-17, WU 12-29), while Wilmington won the board battle, 41-30 (15-5 offensive) as small consolation.
JEFFERSON 86 HOLY FAMILY 75
Holy Family slots between the two Delaware teams with the South’s three seed after falling at the Campus Center to crosstown tormentor Jefferson for the sixth straight encounter and 33rd time in 39 lifetime meetings. Deondre Bourne (22 points, 6-9 FG, 4-6 from 3, four assists) and Kylan Guerra (20 points, 4-7 from afar, nine rebounds, eight dishes) carried the torch for the Rams, each playing every minute for Saturday’s lone road winner, which led from wire to wire, bursting out of the gate with leads of 26-6 and 40-16. The Tigers – who were powered by Patrick Robinson’s 24 points and 11 rebounds in 40 minutes of action – shaved their deficit to nine points on three occasions in the second half, the last occurrence at 77-68 after a Robinson lay-up with 1:55 remaining, capping a 13-4 spurt that reduced a 73-55 deficit. Jefferson thwarted the rally with two free throws by Josh Bradanese (19 points, 3-4 from downtown Philly, nine rebounds) and a 3-ball by Guerra that put the game on ice at 82-68 with 1:06 on the clock. Devaughn Mallory chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds for the South Division champion Rams, who have won 16 of 17 and will host Felician in their playoff lid-lifter, while Holy Family travels to Dominican. Branden Aughburns (14 points, nine rebounds), Kharon Randolph (12 points, four assists) and Vincenzo Dalessandro (11 points) also reached double digits in defeat for the Tigers, who were outshot overall (54%-40%) and schooled from the 3-point line (14-22 to 9-30).
BLOOMFIELD 94 CALDWELL 86
The two hottest teams in the region – both of whom are located off Bloomfield Avenue in Northern New Jersey and who showcased nine-game winning streaks – squared off at The Den, where Bloomfield pulled away late from Caldwell to close out another stellar regular season as Kings of the North Division. Kavione Green continued his sensational recent run with 26 points (10-14 FG, 3-5 from long range) and eight rebounds, while Keith Washington provided the good and the bad with 26 points, 11 assists and nine turnovers as the Bears built a 61-53 lead just over four minutes into the second half before the Cougars instigated a 13-2 run to surge in front, 66-63, on an A.J. Kittles lay-up with 11:06 to go. It was 71-69 before Tariq McKenith (eight points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals in a reserve role) knocked down a go-ahead three that provided the 13th and final lead change and springboarded the hosts to an 18-2 power run, opening up an 87-73 gap with 2:39 left. Caldwell didn’t fold up its tent, however, rattling off eight straight to pull within 87-81 after a Kittle put-back at the 1:10 mark before Bloomfield converted five of six at the stripe and supplied a punctuation mark slam by Matt Lajeunesse (11 points, 5-5 FG, 10 rebounds) to close it out. Rich Chapman logged 14 points and seven boards for the Bears, who were more proficient from distance (13-31 to 5-15) and on second chances (22-10), offsetting the Cougars’ 52-34 advantage in the paint. Manley Dorme was high man for the visitors with 22 points (9-12 FG) and six rebounds. He received support from Kittles (18, 6), Vaughn Covington (13 points off the pine), Eric Johnson-Alford (11 points, 10 rebounds in reserve duty) and Ruud Lutterman (11 points). Caldwell travels to Goldey-Beacom on Tuesday while Bloomfield draws Wilmington at home.
DOMINICAN 79 NYACK 61
Tavon Ginyard notched 19 points (5-10 from deep) and Sayon Charles pitched in with 11 as 11 of Dominican’s 13 players scored in a comfortable win vs. Rockland County rival Nyack in Orangeburg. The Chargers were in control from the outset, orchestrating leads of 14-3, 34-18 and 68-43 during the rout. Gemaal Davis (14 points) and Jah-Meer McDuffie (10) were the bright spots for the Warriors, who were soundly outshot (47%-27%), especially from 3-point territory (11-21 to 2-18), and out-assisted (18-7), negating advantages on the glass (48-41) and at the foul line (19-22 to 6-12). Dominican hosts Holy Family in the upcoming tournament quarterfinals.
FELICIAN 103 GEORGIAN COURT 87
Zamir Wright paced six in double figures with 17 points and seven assists as Felician thumped Georgian Court in a playoff tune-up at Job Gym. A pair of Wright trifectas bookended a 20-9 spell that expanded a modest 33-29 lead to 53-38 shortly before halftime, and an 11-0 flurry upon the restart pushed the game into blowout mode at 66-41. The margin maxed out at 79-53 with 11-and-a-half minutes to play before a Sean Barksdale bucket triggered a 21-4 tear and brought the Lions within striking distance at 83-74 with 7:21 remaining. The drive would end there, however, as the Golden Falcons embarked on a 14-2 counter-run, culminating in a pair of Rahsaan Williams foul shots that made it 97-76 at the 2:53 juncture, consigning the visitors to a sixth straight loss to close the season. Jay’von Jackson (16 points, 5-5 from deep, 11 rebounds), Manny Warren, Jr. (15 points off the bench, 4-7 from downtown Rutherford), Dee-End McRae (15 points, 7-7 FG, eight caroms in reserve duty), Williams (13 points, seven rebounds, four blocks) and Jeff Lewis (11 points off the pine) all made their presences felt for Felician, which splashed 15 threes and won the glass (44-34) in gearing up for its playoff trip to Jefferson. Caleb Boswer registered 22 points and four assists in 40 minutes for Georgian Court, which also placed Barksdale (16 points, six boards), Will Osborne (15 bench points, 5-6 from 3), Kristian Alexander (14 points) and Bryce Council (10 points, four assists) in twin figures, while faring better at the free-throw line (17-19 to 8-11).
SCIENCES 83 CHESTNUT HILL 79
Sean Simon logged all 21 of his points in the second half (6-8 FG, 4-6 from long range) during an efficient 17 minutes off the bench, guiding University of the Sciences past city foe Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia. A 25-12 upswing – punctuated by a Simon 3-ball – transformed a 52-44 deficit into a 69-64 lead for the Devils with 5:52 left before the Griffins forged ties at 69 and 71. Brendan Crawford – who totaled 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists in his collegiate finale – came through with the go-ahead 3-point play at the 3:33 mark, initiating a 7-0 spurt that afforded the hosts a 78-71 upper hand with 1:15 remaining. The Griffins battled back, however, closing within a single point twice in the waning seconds before Simon came through with two free throws and a steal of an inbounds pass, setting up the clinching free throw from Tanner Kerr (nine points, eight rebounds, seven assists in his final game) with four seconds on the clock. Brandon Hathaway saved his best for last, recording a career-high 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-7 from beyond the arc) along with seven rebounds in his swan song as USciences achingly concluded the season one game out of the playoff picture. All 10 Chestnut Hill players who saw action scored a basket, headed by Trevonn Pitts (18 points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Ed McWade (17,7, 4), who reached the 1,000-point plateau in his final game. Both teams boasted strong assist-turnover lines (US 22/8, CHC 19/14) but struggled from the stripe (US 13-23, CHC 6-11). The Griffins fell for the 19th straight time and joined LIU Post this winter as the only teams in the region to go winless in conference play.
POST 85 CONCORDIA 56
Levy Gillespie went out on a high note, cranking out a career-high 19 points (5-10 from long distance) in a Senior Day start as Post clobbered Concordia at the Drubner Center. After the lead changed hands 11 times over the first 16 minutes, the Eagles erupted for a 45-16 second-half blitz as their 38-36 edge ballooned to 83-52 with 2:52 to go. Darryl Stewart generated 13 of his 17 points (7-10 FG) during the power run, while Savion Boissard accumulated 11 on the day in a reserve role for the hosts, who were the more accurate shooters (44%-32%), especially from downtown Waterbury (13-29 to 4-27). Cedric McFadden (13 points), Mike Demello (11 points, seven rebounds) and Jayson Cethoute (10, 6) reached double figures in their final outings as the Clippers closed the campaign on a six-game slide.