By Chris Granozio
The story of the week comes from West Haven, Connecticut, where an unfortunate mistake resulted in the wrong team winning. As you may have read in Tim McCaffrey’s exclusive Musings column on Patreon, what had been a terrific college basketball game between NE10 foes and crosstown rivals Southern Connecticut and New Haven Wednesday left a bitter taste in one team’s mouth. I was in attendance at Charger Gym and want to make it clear that the shot in question – a Josh McGettigan 3-pointer at the buzzer that tied the score at 69-69 and forced overtime – was bang-bang to my naked eye in real time. I was recording the final seconds of regulation from courtside and had to watch the replay on my phone, freeze-framing the fraction of a second when the grad student still had the ball on his fingers as the horn sounded. Southern took advantage of the extra life and prevailed in overtime, with McGettigan (27 points, 6-11 from 3, 12 rebounds) nailing the go-ahead 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:35 to play, making it 74-72 and representing the 15th and final lead change of the game (fifth in OT). The Saint Rose transfer also sank the clinching free throws with 1.7 seconds left. The Owls – who also received 15 points, seven rebounds and career-high seven blocked shots from Kazell Stewart – had led by as many as 11 in the second half and gained a measure of revenge from last year’s playoff ouster in the same building. The Chargers were fronted by Ethan Simmon and Jah’lekai King, both of whom scored 20 points and combined to play 88 of a possible 90 minutes.
Back to that fateful final play of regulation, I understand the officials made the wrong call, as another crew did on January 8, 2022 in Manchester, when they incorrectly allowed a game-winning 3-pointer by Miles Tention after the buzzer, robbing Pace of a huge road win vs. St. Anselm. Pace still earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament that March despite the devastating loss, but New Haven is now 5-9 instead of 6-8, making the Chargers’ path to an at-large berth very unlikely. Southern, on the other hand, improved to 11-3 and bolstered its resume for a potential bid in a highly competitive region. We won’t know the full ramifications of this outcome for a couple of months yet, but I don’t want to indict referees, who are not out there trying to adversely affect games. Let’s talk about the real problem: namely, the absence of a replay monitor. What’s the best way to eliminate judgment calls and assure the right results? Install a replay system! I get it – it’s expensive. But it should be considered an investment for the sake of accuracy and integrity, not just for game-altering shots, but for any questionable calls throughout the course of a game that fall within the NCAA replay protocols. I mean, over the years, every gym has instituted shot clocks, backboard lights, 3-point lines and lane adjustments, among other upgrades. The game experience continues to evolve, except in this area with the exception of the D1 level. Why shouldn’t this be a universal requirement? Let’s get it right. The NCAA should pick up at least the lion’s share of the cost, if not ALL of it so that accuracy is the highest priority on game days.
There’s Room for Everyone
Kudos to the Northeast-10 for turning a wrong into a right by announcing last week that all 12 members will participate in the conference tournament rather than nine, which had been the plan heading into the campaign. The extra cost is miniscule compared to the experience the student-athletes would have missed out on. As one coach told me: “this is supposed to be about the kids, after all, isn’t it?”
Poll Position
Both nationally ranked teams from our region lost games last week, so St Thomas Aquinas dropped five spots to #18, while last week’s #18, Post, dropped out of the NABC Top 25. They are the top team receiving votes, though, so unofficially slotting in at #26. St. Michael’s is also receiving votes. Nova Southeastern finally lost a game for the first time in two seasons, falling at league rival Florida Southern, meaning we have a new #1: undefeated MSU-Moorhead, where former Roberts Wesleyan Redhawk Ja’Kair Sanchez now calls home. The Dragons are one of three remaining undefeated teams in D2 along with league rival Minnesota State and Benedict (SC), who are ranked second and eighth, respectively.
Blame It on the Rain
Tuesday night, two games were postponed in the region: Dominican at Caldwell (make-up date scheduled for January 29) and Bloomfield at Mercy (played the next day). The reason? Heavy rain, winds and flooding. Despite a state of emergency declared in New Jersey, Felician still hosted Post and Georgian Court traveled West to Philly for a date at Jefferson as the mercury reached as high as 55 degrees in some parts of the Garden State. So for the first time in my 40 or so years of covering college basketball in the region, and maybe ever, we had our first official basketball RAINOUTS!
Purple Reign?
St. Michael’s continues to do the impossible, namely win every NE10 game it plays. While the quality of the conference’s basketball this year hasn’t quite been up to the usual standard, the field is rich with parity and quality programs, some of which are uncharacteristically struggling to get their collective heads above the .500 watermark. If the records hold, this would be the first NE10 season since 1999-2000 to boast only six winning teams. And that was the last season the circuit contained just 10 teams (the following year, the conference expanded to 15). Surviving the entire gauntlet of games with an unblemished record is a rare feat in the NE10 era, with only St. Anselm (1995-96) and Bentley (2006-07 and 2007-08) able to run the table (Stonehill went 6-0 in the inaugural NE7 back in 1980-81, then went a perfect 12-0 in the NE8 the following year).
So, heading into Saturday’s game at Assumption, St. Michael’s is 8-0 in league play, just two wins shy of its best-ever NE10 start in 2000-01 (10-0), and two games clear of the field. The Purple Knights have made it their penchant this season to fall into holes and dig themselves out. Case in point, last week’s games against Southern Connecticut and Bentley. In the former, a 30-8 second-half run flipped a 58-46 deficit into a 76-66 lead that held up for a huge road win – its first vs. the Owls since an 81-79 playoff triumph, also in New Haven (St. Mike’s actually went 3-0 vs. SCSU, a Sweet 16 team, that winter, while compiling its last winning slate at 18-10). Four days later, the Purple Knights snapped another drought, knocking off Bentley in Vermont for the first time (on the court, at least *) since a 95-87 result on December 6. 2014. But right on cue, the Purple Knights spotted the Falcons a 27-9 lead, eventually trimming the deficit to two by halftime and engineering a 35-15 second-half surge that transformed a 41-37 shortfall into a 72-56 advantage following a lay-up by Jhamyl Fricas (22 points off the bench). Bentley – which received all its baskets from just five players – saw a late comeback fall short as St. Michael’s surpassed last year’s win total with 12 while stretching its win streak to five. Darrel Yepdo, perhaps the best sophomore in the region, garnered 18 points and career-high eight assists for the winners, while Cash McClure – a pretty good sophomore in his own right – “cashed in” 23 points (10-13 FG), 11 rebounds and four helpers for the Falcons. *Note: St. Michael’s was granted a league win in the series when Bentley did not make its scheduled trip to the Ross Sports Center on February 5, 2022.
Change of Pace
What a streaky year it has been for Pace, which won its first seven games, dropped its next four and now has apparently righted the ship and rattled off three straight wins. In the Setters’ recent wire-to-wire win vs. Southern New Hampshire in Pleasantville, the game remained ripe for the taking with the lead bouncing between two and seven over the last 11:08. Sean Bresnan nailed a career-best six 3-pointers in nine attempts enroute to a 23-point day, with Bryan Powell (18 points) and Tray Alexander (10 points, 10 assists in 40 minutes) providing the necessary support. Derrick Grant posted a career-high 22 points and Mat Becht 20, including the 1,000th of his career, for the Penmen. Pace followed that up with a stifling defensive effort at Assumption, limiting the Greyhounds to a mere 21% from the floor (13-61), including a paltry 6-28 inside the arc. The Setters trailed 14-12 before outscoring their hosts 13-4 over the final 9:37 of the first half in what must have resembled pre-shot clock basketball.
Panthers on the Prowl
The other hot NE10 team is Adelphi, which has reeled off six straight (five in Garden City) to emerge as a regional contender. Elijah Lewis erupted for a career-high 31 points (6-9 from deep) in a rare win at St. Anselm as the Panthers rode a 28-10 wave out of the halftime break, capped by a Lewis slam, to open up a 68-45 lead. It extended to 81-54 before the Hawks closed out the contest with a 16-2 run to make the final more respectable. Next game vs. fellow Granite State rival Franklin Pierce, Adelphi never trailed, busting out of the gate with a 26-9 lead that crested at 99-68 before all was said and done. Seth Brown paced five in double figures with 22 points (7-10 FG, 6-9 from 3) in 23 bench minutes, while Andrew Delaney racked up 11 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists for the Panthers, who made 55% of their shots and constructed a brilliant 31/6 assist-turnover ratio. Sean Trumper recorded 18 points, 10 boards and four assists in a losing cause.
Ram-ifications
Even though Jefferson is still seeking its first win outside the Gallagher Center, the home cooking has certainly paid off for the Rams, who have won seven of nine (all but one of those games coming at home, and each one within the Philadelphia city limits) after drilling Dominican, shooting 66% from the floor and 13-21 from beyond the arc in the 110-81 rout. A 23-21 game at the midway mark of the opening half, the hosts set in motion a 28-7 spree that inflated the gap to 51-28; the margin hovering between 18 and 31 the entirety of the second period. Erik Timko led five in double figures with 25 points (8-10 FG, 3-5 from long distance), while two-time D1 transfer Ashton Miller attained a career high of 21 points (8-11 FG, 4-5 from 3) off the bench. Antonin Kemkeng (17 points, 10 rebounds), Hakim Byrd (16 points, nine assists) and Bismark Nsiah (15, 4) all stood out for Jefferson, which feasted at the foul line (27-32 to 10-18), owned the glass (37-19) and has now converted 55% of its shots over the last five games… Next game vs. Georgian Court, the Rams initiated a 23-4 jaunt to take the lead for good at 41-24, then quelled a late comeback bid that saw the Lions close within 49-44 before succumbing. Timko tossed in another 21 in the win, which saw the hosts again fare better at the stripe (18-23 to 5-7).
Post-ponement Prevented
Weather nearly nixed the aforementioned CACC North game between Post and Felician in Rutherford on Tuesday. Had the school heeded New Jersey’s state of emergency and called off the game, that would have been two straight POST-ponements for Post, which had its Saturday home game vs. Holy Family scrapped as Holy Family never left its Philadelphia campus for the ride up. A real anomaly, as it turned out, as all the other 13 games in the region – and 134 across D2 – went off as scheduled. Even the HFU-PU women’s game was played, so a makeup date is now needed. On the court at Job Gym, the Eagles trailed the majority of the first half and by as many as nine but came out of the locker room with a purpose, shooting 71% over the final 20 minutes, outscoring their hosts 32-10 to wrest control at 65-47 after a lay-up from Deng Deang (22 points, 3-3 from long range, 10 rebounds). The margin never got below double digits down the stretch thanks largely to 13-21 long-distance shooting and the efforts of key reserves Ta’Quan Williams and Derrick Thomas II, both of whom produced 16 points (the latter snagging 10 boards and going 4-5 from 3). Justin Davis was the lone bright spot for Felician with 30 points as his team lost for the first time in five conference games. One game prior, Felician enjoyed its biggest blowout in 23 years with an 88-49 slaughter of Chestnut Hill in Philly. Jaylen Colon delivered 26 points (9-13 FG, 4-6 from afar) for the victors, who led from pillar to post and outshot the Griffins, 51%-29%. Marshall Baker sported a personal-best 13 points off the bench in defeat. The 39-point win was the Golden Falcons’ largest since a 94-55 CACC triumph over NJIT on January 13, 2001.
Seven-Up!
In all the years I’ve been covering the region, I’ve never seen a team stat page that looked anything quite like the one Goldey-Beacom presented after its 88-83 win at Bloomfield. Seven Lightning players scored, but each one recorded double-digit points! There wasn’t a single player on the team that finished in single digits! Caleb Bates fronted the balanced attack with 16 points in as many minutes off the bench, while Zayon Marsh procured 12 points and career-high 14 rebounds for the winners, who led by as many as 15 points (44-29) in the first half and 13 (68-55) near the midpoint of the second before the Bears clawed their way within a possession three times in crunch time, the last occurrence at 84-81 inside the final minute. But Goldey made just enough free throws (4-6) to cross the finish line unscathed. Al Fatir Connor turned in a brilliant performance in a losing effort with career bests of 25 points (10-17 FG) and seven assists while also snatching six rebounds. He was flanked by Deavion Ellis, who flirted with a triple-double (12, 9, 8). Both clubs shot an identical 9-26 from behind the arc and boasted excellent assist-turnover lines (GBC 20/13, BC 25/9) but the Lightning made a difference at the foul line (15-17 to 6-14).
Close Call with the PSAC
With Goldey-Beacom’s 120-92 defeat at the hands of #16 East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, our region finishes the regular season 17-19 vs. the PSAC – the closest the East has come to a winning record since I’ve been keeping records. The Lightning led just once (6-5) and were within 24-23 near the midpoint of the opening period before the Warriors kicked off a 23-6 tear that beefed up their lead to 47-29; the divide bouncing between 16 and 30 the final 20 minutes. Bates collected 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead five in doubles for Goldey, matching ESU, which shot 57% and saw all 14 of its players score. The 120 points are the most in program history vs. a non-league opponent.
Dribbles…
When New Haven defeated American International last Saturday, it was the third 67-66 final in the NE10 within a four-day span. Just three days prior, AIC rallied to beat Saint Rose by that score. Meanwhile, Pace outlasted Franklin Pierce on the road, also by that count. In the most recent contest, the Chargers’ escaped Butova Gym thanks to a Tyer Saint-Furcy hook shot with four seconds remaining. It was a rare instance when a team shot better from the field (27-54 for 50%) than at the foul line (6-13 for 46%). Jah’lakai King led five Chargers in double digits with 19 points (8-11 FG) and personal-best seven steals, while Justice Ellison (18 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and Aguibou Balde (17 points, 10 caroms) did the heavy lifting for the Yellow Jackets… Balde added 21 and seven, respectively, in AIC’s next game at Southern New Hampshire, though a 39-28 halftime lead didn’t hold up. A 19-4 second-half surge gave the Penmen the lead for keeps at 68-55, with Becht knocking down the go-ahead triple (he finished with 17 points, 4-7 from downtown Manchester). Kurtis Henderson dropped a career-high 22 points for SNHU, which won the game behind the 3-point line (10-27 to 4-21).
A 28-4 Bentley upswing proved too much for Saint Rose to overcome in Waltham, affording the Falcons a 58-35 lead that would never be threatened. Aaron Latham (20 points, four assists, four steals) and Kellen Bochenek (18 points on 6-10 shooting from deep, plus eight rebounds) did most of the damage as the hosts connected on twice as many treys (18-42 to 9-18) and crafted the vastly superior assist-turnover ratio (24/8 to 8/17).
Josh Morissette rang up 25 points (9-12 FG, 4-7 from distance) and Sean McCarthy registered a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double as St. Anselm held off Saint Rose in Albany to snap a five-game skid. A competitive affair with 10 lead changes over the last 10:09, it was a 10-4 flourish over the last two and a half minutes that turned the tide, flipping a 67-65 deficit into a 75-71 win for the Hawks. Morissette nailed the go-ahead 3-ball to make it 70-67 with 1:55 to go, then capped the scoring with two freebies at the eight-second mark. Zac Taylor also hit a dagger three during the uprising. Three-point shooting was again central to the outcome (SAC 10-25, CSR 3-15), offsetting the Golden Knights’ 47-34 board dominance.
Caldwell – the team that upset St. Anselm in last year’s NCAA Regional – also ended a drought, surprising Wilmington in Delaware “catfight” for its first win in seven tries. Derrick Bueno came alive with a career-high 28 points (8-12 FG) and 13 rebounds, hitting four straight free throws in the final 20 seconds to put the Cougars in control, 75-72 as Caleb Matthews’ potential tying triple was off the mark as time expired… WilmU rebounded two days later in the nation’s capital against District of Columbia. Matthews logged 16 points (4-8 from 3) for the Wildcats, who launched a 27-11 second-half run in fattening a modest 51-47 lead to 78-58 after a Matthews triple with 2:16 remaining. Five Firebirds scored between 10-12 points but they couldn’t keep up the shooting pace (47%-33%), especially from long range (10-23 to 3-13).
Sam DeSouza totaled 22 points (10-14 FG) and career-best 12 rebounds in Bridgeport’s comeback win over Staten Island at Hubbell Gym. The Purple Knights were staring at a 67-57 deficit with eight and a half minutes to play before uncorking a 23-6 blitz over the last 8:22 to pull it out, 80-73, in a game marred by awful 3-point shooting (UB 1-15, CSI 5-23). Bryce Waterman managed 17 for the Dolphins… The junior also topped the scorecard with 20 in his team’s prior win vs. Franklin Pierce. CSI led from start to finish in that one, using a 9-0 second-half spurt to create the necessary distance at 47-31. The Ravens – who were powered by Ja’keese Kemp (22 points) and Andrew Politi (15 on 5-7 shooting from 3) – were within 85-81 inside of two minutes but Waterman nailed a clutch trifecta, then added another one with 59 seconds on the clock to keep the Dolphins afloat at The Tank.
Alejandro Reddondo Cybak amassed career highs of 29 points (11-18 FG) and 15 rebounds while playing all 45 minutes of Chestnut Hill’s road win over crosstown rival Holy Family. The sophomore center generated 10 of his points in overtime, including the go-ahead lay-up, as he outscored the Tigers himself during the period, 10-6. He also sent the game to the bonus round with a put-back at the 29-second mark, preceding two HFU misses prior to the buzzer. Angel Petit IV chipped in with 19 points while playing 42 minutes for the Griffins, while Jason Shields likewise notched 19 for the Tigers. The two teams combined to shoot an icy 6-29 from 3-point range.
The last regional player to record a triple-double – Sunnie Diamond last season vs. Alliance – nearly duplicated the feat, compiling 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in piloting Queens past Molloy in Rockville Centre for an ECC road win. Shamir Chester also stuffed the stat sheet with 13, nine and six, respectively (the rebounds representing a personal best), as the Knights used a 22-7 game-ending binge to eradicate a 68-62 deficit and prevail, 84-75. Diamond’s two foul shots with 4:37 left put the Knights on top to stay, 73-72, as the Lions could only muster one bucket over the final 4:11, despite orchestrating a 26-7 power play to transform a 55-42 deficit into a 68-62 lead following a 3-pointer by Bobby Connors (14 points, 12 boards, five assists). In a bizarre stat twist, Queens is 2-1 at Quealy Gyn this year, while its primary occupants – Molloy – are just 1-7 there... The Knights also saw three players score 15 points vs. Georgian Court in Lakewood, using a 12-0 rush to open up a 61-47 lead at the 8:39 juncture of the second half, the margin oscillating between 11 and 19 the balance of the ballgame. Chester (four assists), Malik Bentinck (13 rebounds) and Manny Umoffia – the tallest player in the region at 7-3 – each chalked up 15 in the win, a career-high for the latter, who also grabbed seven rebounds in a reserve role. Clint Wright, Jr. had the hot hand for the Lions with 23 points (8-12 FG, 5-9 from deep). Queens made three times as many free throws (24-32 to 8-11), and owned the backboards, 41-25, fueling the win.
It took an extra 24 hours but Bloomfield and Mercy eventually played their crossover contest with the former emerging victorious at Victory Hall. Eleven of the 12 Bears who saw action made the scorebook, led by reserve rookie Starrell Hearns’ 24 points (6-10 from downtown Dobbs Ferry) and Deavion Ellis’ 18-point, seven-rebound outing. The visitors used runs of 29-6 in the first half and 22-3 in the second to hold off the Mavericks, who were within 58-53 with just over nine minutes to go before the latter flurry made it 80-56 and cemented the result. Jayden Dewaal was high man for the Mavs with 19 points (8-13 FG), 14 boards and six steals, while Taj Childs pitched in with 18 points and seven assists in playing the entire game. Mercy is now 0-6 vs. the CACC this season.
D’Youville dropped a non-league game vs. Salem in West Virginia despite 23 points and seven rebounds from Trayton Trice… and all 12 Daemen players who suited up played between 10-23 minutes and scored between two and 10 points in a rout vs. unaffiliated Cheyney (PA) at Lumsden Gym… its region-best 16th straight home triumph. Zach Philipkoski had a perfect shooting day off the bench (4-4 FG, 2-2 from downtown Amherst), while Phil Nwugwo pumped in personal bests of 10 points, six rebounds and four blocks. The Wildcats never trailed, enjoying between a 20 and 42-point lead throughout the second half.
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