Nine games across the NE10 and ECC comprised the Wednesday night schedule in the region, and the match-ups in the former conference were mainly nail-biters:
PACE 87 ADELPHI 83 (OT)
Brandon Jacobs capped a late run in regulation with a 3-pointer, and Tyrone Cohen, Jr. connected on a tiebreaking triple midway through overtime as Pace rallied past Adelphi in Garden City, avenging a December home loss and moving into a third-place tie in the NE10’s Southwest Division. The Setters were swimming upstream most of the night, trailing 20-7 at the outset and 42-27 by halftime. However, things turned around midway through the second stanza as a 13-1 run flipped a 51-43 deficit into a 56-52 lead following a lay-up by Peyton Wejnert (31 points, 14 rebounds, four steals) with 9:15 to play. It was a nip-and-tuck affair from that point forward, as neither team could muster more than a one-possession separation the last 8:29 of regulation, exchanging the lead three times over the last 3:40 before Jacobs knotted the count at 70-70 with 18 seconds left. The Panthers had two shots to win it, but Ronnie Silva’s 3-pointer, as well as a Duaine Williams follow inside, wouldn’t drop. The game was deadlocked at 75-75 when Cohen came through with his big three, sparking a 9-2 flurry that put Pace in pole position at 84-77 with 28 seconds remaining. Austin Beech – who finished with 13 points and just as many rebounds – knocked down a trey at the 10-second mark that made it an 88-85 game, but Jacobs – who totaled 14 points and seven assists – put a bow on it with two free throws two seconds later. Cohen registered 21 points (5-9 from long range) and six rebounds for the Setters, who forced more turnovers (21-12) on the day. Five Adelphi players reached double figures in defeat, including Spencer Foley (20 points, four assists), Chris Coalmon (13 points, nine rebounds), Williams (10 bench points) and Silva, who collected 13 points and 10 assists but also struggled from the floor (5-20 FG, 1-12 from 3) and turned it over nine times, one shy of a dubious triple-double. This was the third overtime game in four outings for Adelphi, which can lock up second place with a win. Pace can finish anywhere between second and fifth. The shooting (AU 42%, PU 41%) and rebounding (AU 46, PU 44) were washes.
Le MOYNE 89 AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 81
Moments before Adelphi’s loss, Le Moyne captured its fourth straight Southwest Division crown and home court throughout the playoffs by defeating American International at Butova Gym for its 11th consecutive divisional road win dating back to its last trip to Springfield in November of 2018. A 28-9 blitz transformed a 20-17 deficit into a 45-29 advantage after a Tom Brown lay-up with 37 seconds to go in the half, and the senior’s two foul shots with 11:07 showing in the second punctuated a 9-0 spurt that widened the gap to 67-49. The Yellow Jackets – who were eliminated from playoff contention – fought to the end, using a 14-4 surge in whittling an 83-67 deficit down to 87-81 on a Jordan Vidal bucket, albeit with 13 seconds on the clock, before Oshea Gairey (six points off the bench) converted two freebies to close it out. Nino Hernandez paced a balanced Dolphins attack with 16 of his 20 points coming after the break (9-14 FG), along with six rebounds. He was followed by Brown (13 points, eight boards, seven assists), Ryan Roland (11 points, 3-5 from 3), Malik Garner (10) and Zay Jennings (10 points, seven rebounds in a reserve role). Vidal topped the AIC scorecard with 19 points (7-11 FG), and was supported by Logan Santiago (13 of his 16 points after halftime, seven rebounds off the bench), Zekiah Owens (15 points, 7-12 FG, six caroms) and Bane Terzic (10 points). Le Moyne was the more accurate shooting team (51%-38%), especially from distance (9-21 to 7-32), but uncharacteristically struggled from the stripe (18-29 compared to AIC’s 12-18) as the Dolphins ranked third in the nation at 81% entering the game. The Jackets won the glass (47-44) and parlayed 20 offensive rebounds into 22 points, as opposed to just six second-chance points for the Fins.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 73 NEW HAVEN 67
The only regional team able to win on its home court Wednesday was Southern Connecticut, which held off crosstown rival New Haven for a season sweep. After a tight first half that featured 10 lead changes, it was a 23-7 second-half spree that turned the tables, as a 34-29 UNH lead morphed into the widest spread of the night at 52-41 Southern with 9:34 to play. The Chargers chiseled the deficit down to 58-55 on a Derrick Rowland trifecta with 4:55 left and, after a stop, missed a tying attempt. An Elijah Bailey foul shot with 1:03 remaining brought the visitors within 64-62, but Lyron Bennett – who matched his personal best with 22 points (9-15 FG, 3-5 from deep), along with six rebounds and seven assists – scored inside 23 seconds later, doubling the divide. The Chargers had a chance to creep closer, but Antonio Lopez (three bench points) missed a pair at the line and Greg Jones (nine points, six rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots) sank two of his own three seconds later as the Owls closed it out with 7-of-8 tosses. Taurus Adams II logged 19 points (7-11 FG) and eight rebounds for Southern, which is tied with Pace for third and holds the tiebreaker by virtue of a series sweep. Bailey was high man for New Haven with 21 points and six rebounds, while Quashawn Lane (16 points, eight boards, two blocks) and Rowland (13 points) also landed in twin figures. The Chargers were stronger on the backboards (41-34), but the hosts were better with the basketball (17/7 assist-turnover ratio compared to 10/12 for UNH).
ASSUMPTION 84 BENTLEY 81
The postseason participants in the Northeast Division are also finalized, due to a quirky tiebreaker scenario. Branislav Vujadinovic came through with 10 straight points over a span of 1:22 in piloting Assumption past Commonwealth rival Bentley in overtime at the Dana Center, avenging a December home loss and winning in Waltham for the first time since a 78-65 playoff triumph on February 24, 2012 (seven game streak). The Greyhounds were staring at a 64-52 deficit inside of the eight-minute mark and 72-61 with under four minutes remaining before embarking on a 13-2 binge, culminating in back-to-back bombs from the right wing by Vujadinovic over the final 47 seconds to force the extra period. The senior guard picked up right where he left off when the third period commenced, hitting two hoops that put the Hounds on top for good at 78-74. The Falcons – who have dropped their last six and fallen into a fourth-place tie with idle Southern New Hampshire – were within 82-81 after a 3-pointer by Adria Amabilino Perez with 14 seconds to go, but Matthew Kelly drained two free throws with 11.2 seconds showing and Jordan Mello-Klein’s leaning 3-point attempt to tie fell short to settle the matter. All eight Assumption players who saw action scored, fronted by Jordan White (20 points, 7-11 FG, six rebounds), Vujadinovic (19 points, five assists in a reserve role), Kelly (13 points while playing all 45 minutes) and Patrick Fleming (10 points, 4-5 FG, seven rebounds). Chris Hudson was the top option for Bentley with 25 points (9-16 FG) and nine rebounds, followed by Amabilino Perez (career-high 16 points off the pine on 7-of-11 shooting, plus seven rebounds) and Mason Webb (12, 6). The Falcons – who still have an outside shot at third place – clinched a playoff spot despite the loss and the Greyhounds – despite the win – were eliminated due to bad luck with the schedule. In a potential tiebreaker scenario with Southern New Hampshire and/or Bentley, they would lose out because their only path would be to beat Franklin Pierce in the regular-season finale next Tuesday – the same team they need to finish ahead of Stonehill. However, beating them would make that an impossibility. The silver lining to their cloud is that last night’s win halts a six-year string of losing seasons, as well as a 10-game dry spell against Bentley.
ST. ANSELM 68 FRANKLIN PIERCE 64
Assumption was eliminated as a result of St. Anselm’s come-from-behind victory over Franklin Pierce in Rindge – its sixth straight conquest. A 14-2 flourish over the last 5:24 eradicated a 62-54 deficit as the Hawks kept their hosts scoreless over the final 3:51, edging in front 66-64 on a 3-ball by rookie reserve guard Matt Relihan (seven points off the bench) with 2:16 to go. Then, after three missed 3-pointers by the hosts, Danny Evans delivered the clinching lay-up with six seconds on the clock as St. A’s won its second heart-stopper vs. its Granite State rivals and preserved its half-game edge on Stonehill atop the division. The junior forward tandem of Chris Paul (18 points. Seven rebounds) and Gustav Suhr-Jessen (17, 14, the latter figure equaling a career high) paved the way for the winners, who also placed Evans (13 points, five assists) and Miles Tention (10 points in 40 minutes) in doubles. Falu Seck (22 points) and Isaiah Moore (19) carried the load for Pierce, which can finish no higher than third as a result of the loss. Doyin Fadojutimi chipped in with 11 for the Ravens despite cold shooting (4-15 FG, 1-9 from long distance). Both teams struggled from the field (SAC 39%, FPU 36%), with the hosts serving up more treys (11-37 to 7-24) and the visitors faring better both at the line (13-18 to 5-8) and on the glass (49-35).
STONEHILL 73 ST. MICHAEL’S 56
Brandon Twitty notched 18 points, while Will Moreton (13 points, seven rebounds) and Monty Urmilivicius (12, 9) also made their presences felt in Stonehill’s methodical victory over St. Michael’s at the Ross Sports Center to remain on the heels of first-place St. Anselm. The Skyhawks never trailed in this one and used a 20-3 spell over the final 11:29 of the half to turn a 12-12 tie into a 32-15 bulge. The Purple Knights – though unable to muster a field goal over the last 12:13 of the period – still managed to draw within single digits (38-29) five-and-a-half minutes into the second stanza before their guests initiated a 14-5 spell, capped by an Urmilivicius bucket, to lengthen the gap to 52-34 as the margin barely budged between 13 and 18 over the last 13:04. Freshmen Jalen Gorham (personal-best 17 points, 6-8 FG, six rebounds off the bench) and Kasai Brown (13 points despite chilly 4-of-16 shooting) were the lone bright spots for the Purple Knights, who shot a shade better from the floor (44%-40%) but were doubled at the stripe (22-35 to 11-18), surrendered more than twice as many mistake points (27-13) and were outworked on the boards (40-29), including 15-5 offensive, leading to a 14-1 advantage in second-chance scoring.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 80 QUEENS 58
The three ECC games all went by the chalk, and in blowout fashion, to boot. In Flushing, Osbel Caraballo garnered 26 points (11-15 FG) and nine rebounds, and St. Thomas Aquinas wiped out a 35-32 halftime deficit by throttling Queens 48-23 after the break to remain alone in second place. Sekou Cisse pitched in with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Grant Singleton offered 11 points and five assists for the #15 Spartans, who trailed by as many as 10 points (22-12) in the opening period but exploded out of the locker room with a 22-8 romp, grabbing the reins at 54-43 on a Singleton triple with 10:52 to play. The Knights – who received 16 points (4-8 from 3) from Elijah Bovell – were still within striking distance at 56-49 after a three by Dwayne Henry Jr. (12 bench points) with 9:39 left before STAC rattled off 20 of the next 22 points, topped off by a Caraballo bomb just past the four-minute mark, to open up a 76-51 chasm. Kevin Buron submitted 12 points (5-7 FG) and five blocks for Queens, which was outshot (55%-36%), outmuscled in the paint (44-18) and outscored off turnovers (23-7) in remaining a half-game out of the playoff picture.
BRIDGEPORT 107 NEW YORK TECH 87
Hashem Abbas exploded for a career-high – and regional season high – 44 points (18-25 FG, 7-9 from beyond the arc), powering Bridgeport past New York Tech at Recreation Hall for its program-record 17th consecutive victory. D’Vonne Trumbo chimed in with 16 points (3-5 from deep), four assists and four steals for the #11 Purple Knights, who trailed only once (3-2) before reeling off 12 straight to grab control. The Bears – who were piloted by Jeffrey Hayden’s 20-point (11-16 FG), six-rebound effort off the bench – were within 50-42 just over a minute past intermission when Abbas drained a trey and the Purple Knights systematically wore down their hosts, eventually forging a 107-81 upper hand. Juan Coffi contributed 10 points and five steals in reserve duty for Bridgeport, while Tim Dawson (16 points, 3-5 from downtown Old Westbury) and Brandon Redendo (14 points, five assists off the pine) added solid support in a losing cause as Tech remained a half-game ahead of Queens for the sixth and final playoff berth. Both teams shot 49% overall, and the Bears won the glass battle (41-38) but the major difference was turnovers (27-12, leading to a 29-15 scoring advantage). Long-range shooting was second (UB 12-27, NYIT 7-22).
MOLLOY 87 MERCY 59
Just 15 miles to the south in Rockville Centre, Nick Corbett cranked out 26 points (10-15 FG, 5-8 from 3) and dished four assists to pace five in double figures as Molloy hammered Mercy to snap a four-game slide and annex fourth place. James Montgomery (13 points, 5-6 FG, six rebounds), Steve Torre (12 points), Josh Dennis (11 bench points, 2-2 from afar) and Frankie Phelan (10 points off the pine, 3-4 FG) all made their presences felt for the Lions, who led from wire to wire, holding their guests without a field goal for nearly eight minutes in constructing a 48-24 halftime cushion. The Mavericks came no closer than 19 points over the last 20 minutes as the lead ballooned to 71-37 on a Corbett 3-pointer with 11:56 to go. Brandon Wilson recorded 16 points for the Mavs, who also saw Bryan Griffin manage 12 points and eight rebounds, including his program-record 306th of the season. Molloy was the superior shooting (50%-36%) club, especially from distance (12-22 to 4-22) while also owning the boards (44-28) and handing out twice as many assists (16-8). Mercy is clinging to postseason hopes, needing to win its last two while New York Tech loses its last three.
HOW THEY STAND
After a seemingly eternal wait, the initial Regional Rankings were released on Wednesday, and here’s how things look, not counting the results of the past two nights:
- Bridgeport
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Jefferson
- Le Moyne
- St. Anselm
- Stonehill
- Daemen
- Dominican
- Franklin Pierce
- Adelphi