By Chris Granozio
Wide. Open. Region.
The 33 men’s basketball programs in the East are doing their best imitation of the proverbial crabs in a barrel. Whenever a team begins climbing toward the top, another reaches up and pulls it back down to the pack. No fewer than 12 teams - more than a third of them - have betwee 10 and 13 wins with no one breaking away, as of yet. The three schools that are receiving national attention in the latest NABC Top 25 Coaches’ Poll were all upset over the course of the last week. Here’s what happened:
Malik Brooks chalked up a career-high 34 points (16-19 FT) while Ryan Garwood (6-9 from 3-point range) and Kevin Constant (8-10 FG) each chipped in with 21, leading Roberts Wesleyan to a 107-102 come-from-behind win over #18 St. Thomas Aquinas Sunday in Rochester. The Redhawks – who snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series – trailed by as much as 42-24 in the first half and 57-45 at intermission. The hosts burst out of the locker room with a 41-17 blitz to surge in front, 86-74, then held off the Spartans down the stretch for their second Top 25 upset since joining NCAA Division 2. Coincidentally, the other was also against STAC (then #12) on January 27, 2019, by the score of 71-65. Rich Smith (26 points, eight rebounds) and James Patterson (24, 10) fronted the Spartans, who lost consecutive games for the first time in five years. And for more symmetry, that was the aforementioned contest, which followed a setback at fellow Western New York rival Daemen. Both teams shot it well (RWC 56%, STAC 51%), Roberts has won four straight and is trending up, tied with STAC for second in the ECC.
Wednesday night in Waterbury, Caldwell stunned #23 Post, which had just re-entered the Top 25, 92-80. Darrel Evans posted 26 points (11-13 FT) while playing all 40 minutes for the Cougars, who led from wire to wire and by as much as 66-49 midway through the second half before the North Division-leading Eagles rattled off 12 straight in closing the gap to 68-61 at the 9:08 mark. They would get no closer, however, as an Evans “And-1” sparked an 11-2 counter-run to make it a 79-63 game, lifting Caldwell into second place. Bol Akot was high man for Post with 22 points.
D3 transfer guard Casey Draper exploded for a career and individual region-high 46 points (17-27 FG, 6-9 from deep, 6-7 FT) while snatching eight rebounds in 40 minutes, powering Assumption past NE10 leader St. Michael’s at Laska Gym on Saturday, 94-80. Kani Glover added 17 points, seven boards and four assists in 39 minutes for the Greyhounds, who led from pillar to post in handing the Purple Knights their first league loss after eight straight triumphs. The hosts constructed a 37-19 lead and saw St. Mike’s – receiving votes the past few weeks – come as close as 55-51 on a 3-pointer by Darrel Yepdo (30 points, 5-9 from 3) with 13:09 to play before pulling away for good. The Hounds – who manufactured a terrific 28/11 assist-turnover ratio – last had a player score 46 (the program record is 49) on February 25, 1980 when David Hankins torched Sacred Heart in Fairfield. The last time any regional player scored 46 was Felician’s Justin Davis on February 21, 2022 vs. Caldwell.
Three days later, Draper tallied “only” half of his 46-point output (again without subbing out), while fellow D3 transfer guard Alex Carlisle totaled 24 points (10-11 FG) as Assumption rallied to knock off red-hot Adelphi, handing the Panthers their first loss in Garden City this season, 84-82. In the battle of AU teams, the Hounds trailed 52-41 early in the second half and 78-72 inside of four minutes before storming back, thanks in large part to Carlisle, who converted the tying shot in the paint at 2:20 and then the go-ahead jumper at 1:45. Adelphi knotted things up at the stripe a minute later thanks to Dayshaun Walton (25 points, 10 rebounds). Carlisle then closed out the scoring on a lay-up with 45 seconds left, giving Assumption its only lead of the second half, and first since 7-6. The Panthers – who saw their seven-game win streak evaporate – had chances in their final two possessions, sandwiching a missed front end, but Mason Jackson’s 3-point attempt for the win missed the mark at the final horn. Both teams shot an impressive 53% from the field but the Greyhounds were more effective from long distance (9-15 to 3-15), offsetting Adelphi’s foul line advantage (17-20 to 7-14). Both sides offered outstanding assist-turnover ratios (Assumption 15/5, Adelphi 15/9).
Checklist Complete!
On Wednesday night, I saw St. Michael’s defeat American International in Springfield, 73-59 in the 106th all-time meeting that dates back to 1935. St. Mike’s was the last of the 33 regional teams I needed to see, and I can report first-hand that Eric Eaton’s Purple Knights are legit: talented, deep, balanced and tricky defensively with their effective zone. On this particular night, Romar Reid (15 points, four assists), Jacob Duniver (14 points, seven rebounds) and Nolan Marold (13 points, 11 boards, four assists) shepherded the P-Knights to victory in a game they never trailed, making more shots beyond the arc (13-29) than inside of it (11-28) while turning the ball over a mere six times, their fewest since committing four miscues on February 7, 2015 in a 75-71 win over Stonehill. Justice Ellison paced the Yellow Jackets with 18 points.
NE10 Dribbles…
St. Michael’s win, coupled with the next four teams in the NE10 standings losing, restored the Purple Knights’ advantage atop the table to two lengths. In Manchester, Josh Morissette recorded 23 points (5-10 from 3) in 40 minutes in St. Anselm’s win over Pace. The Hawks fell behind 12-1 but set in motion a 32-12 spree to jump in front for good, 33-24. The Setters – who received 23 points in 40 minutes from Tray Alexander – came within four points twice in the final 10 seconds but St. A’s went 4-4 at the line to salt it away (FT makes were 16-8).
Tristian Jeffries generated 17 points while Dante Weise logged 15 points, six rebounds and seven assists without sitting down as Saint Rose applied the brakes to a five-game slide and handed Southern New Hampshire its third straight road loss – all in New York State, 77-67. In a match-up of two programs that accounted for a whopping six regional titles during the 1990s, the Golden Knights were staring at a 58-53 deficit before taking command with a 24-9 uprising over the last 7:40, including the last eight points of the contest. Alex Rivera chimed in with 17 points for the Penmen, who were outworked at the free-throw line (18-20 to 5-6).
Bentley captured two wins this week to grab a share of fourth place with SNHU. The most impressive of the pair came at Moore Field House, where the Falcons ended the game with a 15-0 avalanche, transforming a 66-57 deficit with 4:54 remaining into a 72-66 victory. Zach Laput notched 11 of his 30 points (9-14 FG, 5-8 from 3 in 40 minutes) during the power run, including the tying, right-wing triple (2:39), go-ahead turnaround shot in the lane (1:03) and free throws to cap the scoring with two seconds on the clock. Kazell Stewart managed 14 points (6-9 FG) and six rebounds for the Owls… The defending NE10 Player of the Year stuffed the stat sheet a game earlier against Franklin Pierce in Waltham, amassing a career-best 35 points (11-15 FG, 3-5 from afar, 10-10 FT), nine rebounds, five assists and five steals, while Cash McClure was “money” with 22 points (8-12 FG) and eight boards as the Falcons won their region-best 12th straight home game. This was a colossal blowout with the hosts forging a 65-29 halftime bulge and enjoying as much as a 47-point cushion (107-60) before the dust settled with 111-65 on the Dana Center scoreboard. Bentley was the vastly superior shooting (56%-40%), rebounding (50-22) and assisting (27-6) team.
Pace and Adelphi remain tied for third, each annexing wins on Saturday. The story at Butova Gym was Pace point guard Tray Alexander, who dished out a D2 season-best 17 assists while scoring 14 points of his own in a 75-55 thumping of American International. Bryan Powell provided 15 points, eight rebounds and four helpers for the Setters, who outshot (58%-38%) and outrebounded (36-22) the Jackets, outscoring them 29-13 at the outset and never taking the foot off the accelerator. Jalen Jordan was top dog for AIC with 18 points (7-9 FG) and seven caroms while both teams boasted a minimum 2:1 assist-turnover ratio (PU 24/10, AIC 16/8). Alexander – the nation’s leading assist man at 7.3 per game – recorded the most dimes in a D2 game since February 8, 2020, when yet another Setter – Brandon Jacobs – distributed a D2-best 19 vs. Saint Rose… Adelphi ran its win streak to seven by holding off Saint Rose at the Center for Recreation and Sport, 81-71, winning its first eight home games for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign. Elijah Lewis topped the Panthers’ scorecard with 19 points in the wire-to-wire win, as the hosts maintained a double-figure advantage over the last 11:22 and finished with three times as many assists (18) as turnovers (6). St. Francis (NY) emigre Nuha Sagnia enjoyed a career-best 22-point, nine-rebound line for the Golden Knights, who were outshot from behind the 3-point line (7-26 to 2-9).
That bad call that cost New Haven a signature win vs. crosstown rival Southern Connecticut last week seems to have had a lingering effect as the Chargers dropped a pair this week. Saturday in West Haven, Tyler Arbuckle registered eight of his 25 points (5-7 from deep) during a critical 13-0 second-half flurry that turned a 38-32 shortfall into a 45-38 advantage the Hawks would never relinquish. Morissette added 22 points and eight rebounds for the victors, while Jah’likai King also rang up 22 in defeat… Their next game was a storm-postponed contest in Rindge on Wednesday, where New Haven fell to Franklin Pierce, 94-74. Sean Trumper garnered 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Ravens, including back-to-back layups that kicked off an 11-0 spurt and expanded a modest 50-44 lead to 61-44, the margin ballooning to 27 (89-62) before it was all said and done. Andrew Politi tossed in 18 points on 6-8 long-range shooting off the bench as Pierce halted a six-game slide, making 56% of its shots, including a robust 14-26 from 3-point land. Ethan Simmon accounted for 21 points (5-10 from 3) in a losing cause.
Matt Becht collected all 18 of his points in the opening period on 6-9 shooting from long range to lead five in double figures as Southern New Hampshire eclipsed Southern Connecticut at Spirou Fieldhouse, 84-71. A 15-1 upswing lengthened a modest 44-39 lead to 59-40 and the Penmen never looked back against their old NECC foes, beefing up the margin to 68-45 midway through the final frame and forcing more miscues overall (19-7). Josh McGettigan also paced five in doubles for Southern with 17 points.
ECC Dribbles…
The snow that postponed last Sunday’s Bills-Steelers NFL playoff game also wiped out two ECC games in Buffalo that will be made up later in the season. But Friday’s games in that snow-globe city went to the visitors from the south. In Amherst, Bryce Waterman’s jumper and 3-point bomb on successive possessions snapped a 51-51 tie and ignited a 20-9, game-defining run as Staten Island defeated Daemen for the first time in five lifetime meetings, terminating the hosts’ region-high 16-game home-court winning streak, 71-62. Shemar Latty dropped 19 of his career-high 24 points after intermission (9-11 FG, 3-5 from 3) while only playing 17 bench minutes for the first-place Dolphins, who also benefited from Waterman’s 19 points (5-6 from deep) and Messiah Mallory’s near-triple-double of 10 points, nine rebounds and school-record eight blocked shots. Joey Atkins cashed in 20 points (10-16 FG) and nine rebounds for the sixth-place Cats, who were bettered from long range (10-25 to 4-10)… A few miles down the road, District of Columbia ended a four-game funk with a win at D’Youville, and by almost the identical score at 72-63. Hartnel Haye (nine rebounds) and Eric Morgan, Jr. each churned out 17 points for the Firebirds, who rode a 21-8 second-half wave in flipping a 44-38 deficit into a 59-52 lead following a Morgan jay with 5:28 to go, the margin hovering between four and 10 the balance of the ballgame. Trayton Trice and Chase Jenkins hung matching 16s for the Saints, who were outshot, 46%-33%. Three-point shooting was almost non-existent in this one (UDC 2-6, DU 5-25). UDC is now tied with Queens for fourth place.
Heading east on the Thruway, Roberts shaded Mercy in Rochester, 89-83. The Redhawks trailed most of the way, including by 15 in the first half and 78-74 late before unleashing a 15-5 game-ending flourish. Jean Aristil drilled the big shots down the stretch, including a 3-pointer that commenced the big run, and then the tiebreaking trey with 59 seconds to play, rounding out his 15-point bench outing (on 5-10 long-distance shooting). Marlon Pratt, Jr. (18 points, four assists) topped off the scoring on two foul shots with 26 ticks left for Roberts, which won despite being outshot overall (52%-46%) and from beyond the arc (9-18 to 12-37). All five Mavericks sported double figures in defeat, led by Garret Kirkland (25 points, 7-12 from 3) and Jayden Dewaal (12 points, 13 rebounds). The game was marred by a scrum with 1:50 remaining in the first half, resulting in ejections and seven technical fouls.
CACC Dribbles…
One game before Caldwell’s upset at Post, the Cougars snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Jefferson in a rematch of last season’s CACC Tournament Championship Game. Darnell Evans’ go-ahead 3-point play with 1:34 to go and Moussa Ngom’s baby hook shortly thereafter concluded a 17-1 tear within the final four minutes, and the Cougars held their collective breath after Erik Timko’s 3-pointer shaved the lead to 76-75 and, after a shot clock violation, Hakim Byrd misfired on a potential winning trifecta, cementing the result. The Rams were their own worst enemies in this one, shooting a putrid 6-18 from the stripe (CU was 14-17) and missing six of seven down the stretch to leave the door ajar. Evans and Isaiah Philbert each notched 15 points for the winners, who have prevailed in the last three meetings by margins of one, two and three. Timko (24 points, 8-10 FG, 5-7 from downtown Philadelphia) led the Rams’ attack.
Jefferson wiped that sour taste from its mouth four days later with a huge win over South Division rival Goldey-Beacom in Delaware while also winning for the first time this season away from home. The Rams never trailed in this one, orchestrating a 24-6 assault over the final 7:49 of the half in stretching a 22-20 lead to 46-26. Ahmed Barba-Bey (24 points, 9-15 FG, 5-7 from downtown Pike Creek) accounted for half the points during the run. The Lightning – who were led by Nazim Derry’s 21-point performance – were the last team in the region to suffer a conference loss. Timko produced 28 points (11-16 FG, 5-8 from 3) and Antonin Kemkeng 20 (8-11 FG) with 11 rebounds for the Rams, who shot 58% (15-31 from afar) and are the best-shooting team in the region at just over 49%.
Wilmington now leads the CACC South after taking a pair in the Garden State. Saturday in Rutherford, Marcus Pierce hit for 23 points in a reserve role and Taalib Holloman delivered 19 as the Wildcats saw their 86-75 advantage at the 3:50 juncture shrivel to 92-90 with 11 seconds on the clock. Piece then iced the contest thanks to a conventional 3-point play with three seconds showing. Nas Amos attained 19 points and five assists for the Golden Falcons, who were an abysmal 12-30 at the foul line, severely hampering their cause. Both sides shot it well from the floor (WU 59%, FU 52%), especially from the 3-point line (WU 11-23, FU 12-22)… Next game in Lakewood, Amiri Stewart netted six of his 20 points during a 10-0 spell that transformed a 44-43 deficit into a 53-44 lead the Wildcats would never surrender vs. Georgian Court, 80-69, to boast the best record in the circuit at 5-1, a half-game up on crosstown rival Goldey-Beacom. Stewart – who was playing against his father, Lions Head Coach Terrence Stewart – saw his team make half its shot attempts and feast at the foul line (20-24 to 8-11). Clint Wright, Jr. fueled the hosts with 19 points in defeat.
After dropping 13 of its first 14 games during a hellacious schedule, Chestnut Hill has reeled off three straight, including a comeback win over Bridgeport at Hubbell Gym, 75-73. The Griffins trailed by as many as 13 (29-16) in a first half that ended at 42-32. It was a 67-64 shortfall with just over five minutes to play when a layup by Alejandro Redondo Cybak (18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists in 40 minutes) touched off an 8-0 surge that put the visitors on top, 72-67 with 3:31 left. The Purple Knights – who were buoyed by Jayden Iturmendi’s 18 points – hung the next six on the board, culminating in Iturmendi’s go-ahead 3-ball with 2:47 remaining. That would be their last scoring play, however, as Lucas Dunn connected on the go-ahead hoop at 1:45 and Tim Dawson missed a chance to put his team ahead at the foul line. Chestnut Hill shot 53% and 12-22 from 3-point country, as compared to just 3-6 from UB… Five Griffins scored in double figures in Tuesday’s non-league encounter vs. Mercy at Sorgenti Arena. Kamal Lee was the ringleader with 19 points (5-8 from downtown Philly) in 40 minutes, while three of his teammates finished with double-doubles: Dunn (14 points, 11 rebounds), Redondo Cybak (12, 13) and Neal Hill (10 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists). A 10-0 game-ending rush wiped out a 66-64 deficit inside the three-minute mark as Lee drained the go-ahead three to initiate the run. Alex May (9 points, 4-7 from 3), Jay Turner (16 points, 12 boards, four assists) and Dewaal (14 points, 10 rebounds) did the heavy lifting for the Mavericks, who received all their points from the starting five and who have now played more games against CACC opponents than any actual member of that conference has, falling to 0-8 in those tilts.
Starrell Hearns rang up 19 points and pulled down eight rebounds while national blocked shot leader Edward Ngene compiled 12 points, eight boards and eight rejections in spearheading Bloomfield’s comeback win vs. Bloomfield in The Den. Trailing 68-61 midway through the second stanza, Hearns’ hoop jump-started a pivotal 18-2 charge that gave the Bears the lead for keeps at 79-70 with 4:14 to go. D’Andre Collins accumulated 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Purple Knights, who were outshot (51%-37%) and outworked on the glass (59-37)… The previous game was a rare Sunday night affair as Bloomfield held off host Holy Family, which had to move the game back 28 hours due to a roof issue at the Campus Center. The Bears raced out to a 41-16 lead only to see the Tigers claw their way back to single digits twice in the second period; the last time at 58-49 with 9:05 on the clock before the Bears clamped down and scored the next 11 to put the game out of reach. Zamorian Singleton and Hearns each contributed 16 (the latter off the bench) for the winners, who gave up twice as many threes (10-37 to 5-21) but conversely, made twice as many free throws (18-28 to 9-10). James Shields and Tazir Cantey (five assists) both dropped a dozen for HFU.
Dominican is tied for fourth place with Bloomfield after winning both its games, as well. The first one – against Georgian Court in Orangeburg – saw Javel Cherry crank out 26 points (10-14 FG, 6-9 from distance) and Seth Sharif Brown 20 in reserve duty as the Chargers shot 53% from the field and took control with a 13-4 second-half burst to open up a 57-43 upper hand with 12:50 on the clock, never allowing the Lions to come closer than nine down the stretch. Cameron Edwards procured 16 points and four steals in a losing effort as Georgian Court has now lost all 12 meetings in the series… Next game vs. second-place Felician, Cherry popped again with 27 points (11-16 FG, 5-8 from 3) as Dominican bolted out to leads of 25-5 and 42-15 before the Golden Falcons showed late life, slicing a 72-54 deficit with just over six minutes left to 82-76 in the waning seconds before Brown (16 bench points) capped the scoring with an exclamation-point dunk. Dee-End McRae racked up 17 points (7-10 FG) and 11 rebounds for Felician, which won the glass (46-32) but was completely outclassed from beyond the arc (13-29 to 5-30).
Just prior to Post’s upset loss to Caldwell, the Eagles were nearly shocked by Molloy at the Drubner Center, trailing most of the afternoon before a crucial 10-0 romp transformed a 63-61 deficit with three-and-a-half minutes left into a 71-63 advantage with 1:24 remaining. Travis Warnock – who launched the run with a go-ahead 3-ball – equaled his career high with 17 points (15 after halftime) off the bench, while Deng Deang also pitched in with 17. Robbie Matos piloted the Lions with 25 points, though his team handed out a mere four assists as opposed to 18 turnovers. Neither team distinguished itself from the floor (PU 38%, MU 36%).
Another 10-0 spurt was the key stretch in Queens’ 80-68 win over Goldey-Beacom in the two teams’ first-ever meeting in Flushing. Back-to-back Malik Bentinck buckets kickstarted the run that afforded the Knights the lead for good at 54-45. Bentinck (career-high 20 points, 13 rebounds) and Sunnie Diamond (14 points, 12 caroms, seven assists, three blocks in 40 minutes of court time) spearheaded the effort as Queens dominated the boards (59-40) and established a new program record with 15 blocked shots – a D2 season-best total. Damani Thomas tabulated 22 points (4-7 from long distance) and seven rebounds for the Lightning.
Poll Position
Post returned to the Top 25 this week at #23, while St. Thomas Aquinas fell out of the rankings and is receiving votes, along with St. Michael’s. Minnesota State is your new #1 and is now the lone unbeaten team in Division 2.
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