Sophomore swingman DANA JOHN (Hillside, NJ/Pocono Mountain East (PA)) scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the first half, and junior forward MARQUES HILL (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) powered in all of his 15 points in the second period, as New Jersey City University won its second New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season title in the last three years it has been a member of the league, routing Ramapo College on its own floor, 79-64. The regular season finale for both schools was played at the Bill Bradley Center on Saturday.
NJCU (17-8, 11-2 NJAC) won its final 11 conference games after opening the league slate at 0-2. Ramapo (18-7, 9-4 NJAC), the No. 1 ranked team in the NCAA Atlantic Regional poll, loses its second consecutive game—both at home. NJCU swept two regular season games from the Roadrunners for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign.
NJCU is the only team in the history of the NJAC to win the conference regular-season title in the two division format. The Gothic Knights claimed the regular season title before winning the tournament championship in 2004; the two-division format was re-introduced this year.
NJCU will be the No. 1 overall seed in the six-team NJAC Tournament which begins on Monday. The Knights will receive a first-round bye, and on Wednesday, February 21 at 7 p.m., will host the winner of the quarterfinal contest between Richard Stockton College, the No. 2 seed in the South Division, and Rutgers-Newark, the third seed in the North Division.
NJCU shot 53.6 percent overall (30-56), including 18-of-31 in the first half (58.1 percent) while building an insurmountable, nine-point, 43-34 cushion. The Knights made 11-of-16 from the line in the second half (.688) and 5-of-10 from three-point range in the first period (.500).
John, who notched 20 or more in a game for the 10th time this season, scored 21 on 8-of-16 shooting, and 4-of-11 from three-point range, adding seven rebounds. NJCU is now 11-2 all-time when John scored 20+ in a game, and 8-2 this year. The four triples extended his single-season record to 79, and gives him 125 three-pointers in less than two years, tying Jeff Jordan (1987-91) for second place in NJCU history.
Hill, who only played six minutes in the first half after picking up two fouls, logged all 20 minutes in the second period. He shot 4-of-7 from the field and 7-of-9 at the line for 15 points and six rebounds. Junior guard SHY MARTINEZ (Union City, NJ/Union Hill), playing in his first game in Mahwah since transferring to NJCU from Ramapo, added eight points on 4-of-4 shooting. Six other NJCU players scored between five and seven points.
In defeat, four players scored in double figures for RCNJ. Senior guard Antoine Pryor (Elizabeth, NJ/St. Patrick’s) had 15 points (4-13 FG), while junior center Omar Alston (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) and sophomore forward Tim Wesley (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) each added 14 points; Wesley had eight rebounds but shot 6-of-17. Junior guard Ahmad Mosby (Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony) finished with 12 points and five assists. Junior forward Assad Shaakir (Newark, NJ/St. Patrick’s) grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds (12 defensive).
With Ramapo leading in the first half, 11-9 at 15:37, NJCU uncorked a 16-3 run to gain a 27-14 margin at 10:18 and seized control of the contest. John, who nailed his third consecutive three to start the run, tallied 10 points during the spurt. He scored 16 of NJCU’s first 25 points.
A triple by junior guard AARON DESIR (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) put
NJCU in front by 18, 34-16, at 8:19, as the run extended to 25-5. NJCU was in front 36-19 at 7:06 before RCNJ scored 12 consecutive points to draw within five, 38-33, with 3:56 left in the period, but that was as close as the Roadrunners would get again.
A steal by senior center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) led to a bucket by sophomore guard KEVIN TUCKER (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris). With four seconds left in the half, John fought through a screen and drilled a three from the left wing and a 43-34 margin.
With 15:24 left in the second half, freshman forward DIVINE LYLES (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) sank a three from the right corner for a 55-45 cushion, and NJCU led by double figures for the rest of the game. A lay-up by senior point guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) at 8:47 gave NJCU its largest lead—20—at 71-51. The Knights turned 20 Ramapo turnovers into a 29-15 margin in points off giveaways.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
Newspaper Box Score New Jersey City University vs Ramapo College of NJ 02/17/07 3:30 PM at Mahwah, NJ (Bill Bradley Center) At Mahwah, NJ (Bill Bradley Center) NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY 79, RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NJ 64 NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY (17-8, 11-2 NJAC) Dana John 8-16 1-1 21; Marques Hill 4-7 7-9 15; Shy Martinez 4-4 0-0 8; Abraham Williams 3-7 1-3 7; Kevin Tucker 2-5 2-2 6; Alex Mirabel 3-7 0-1 6; Jamal Slappy 3-3 0-0 6; Divine Lyles 2-5 0-0 5; Aaron Desir 1-2 2-4 5; Luis Dominguez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-56 13-20 79. RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NJ (18-7, 9-4 NJAC) Antoine Pryor 4-13 6-8 15; Omar Alston 5-7 4-6 14; Tim Wesley 6-17 2-2 14; Ahmad Mosby 4-9 4-6 12; Assad Shaakir 3-8 0-2 7; Brian Dench 1-2 0-2 2; Jason Marshall 0-0 0-0 0; Shawn Frost 0-0 0-0 0; Kevin Findlay 0-0 0-0 0; John Wojcik 0-2 0-0 0; Desmond Sanders 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-59 16-26 64. New Jersey City University.... 43 36 - 79 Ramapo College of NJ.......... 34 30 - 64 3-point goals--New Jersey City University 6-17 (Dana John 4-11; Aaron Desir 1-2; Divine Lyles 1-2; Kevin Tucker 0-2), Ramapo College of NJ 2-11 (Antoine Pryor 1-3; Assad Shaakir 1-3; Tim Wesley 0-1; Ahmad Mosby 0-3; John Wojcik 0-1). Fouled out--New Jersey City University-None, Ramapo College of NJ-None. Rebounds--New Jersey City University 34 (Dana John 7), Ramapo College of NJ 39 (Assad Shaakir 13). Assists--New Jersey City University 7 (Alex Mirabel 3), Ramapo College of NJ 9 (Ahmad Mosby 5). Total fouls--New Jersey City University 20, Ramapo College of NJ 16. Technical fouls--New Jersey City University-None, Ramapo College of NJ-None. A-500 NJCU wins 2007 New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season championship and 11th consecutive NJAC game.