GOTHIC LOSE FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY WHEN SCORING 100
New Jersey City University lost a game when scoring 100 points for the first time in its illustrious men’s basketball history, and allowed the most points by an opponent ever, as the Gothic Knights could not hold a seven-point second half margin, dropping a 120-113 double-overtime decision to host Hampden-Sydney College, in the consolation game of the HSC Car Coop/Weenie Miller Holiday Hoops Tournament, at the S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium.
NJCU had been 77-0 all-time when scoring 100 points, before losing its sixth game in seven outings to fall to 5-6 overall, with three straight defeats. The 120 points by the Tigers (6-4) is the most by an opponent in program history, eclipsing the mark of 119 by Bentley College on February 12, 1972. Opponents now own a 16-5 record all-time when scoring 100 against the Knights.
It was the 17th time NJCU has scored 113 or more points in a
game. The double-overtime contest was the seventh in school history, and the first since dropping a 103-99 decision to Rutgers University-Camden on February 9, 2002. The Knights are now 2-5 all-time in double overtime games, losing their last three. Opponents have scored 100 or more in four of those losses.
NJCU also falls to 216-14 all-time when scoring 90 or more. The Gothic Knights will fall below .500 on New Year’s Day for only the third time since 1992-93. NJCU was 4-5 on January 1 on 1992-93 and 2002-03.
NJCU and HSC, two squads that have each twice reached the Division III Final Four, are now 2-2 all-time in head-to-head action, with the Tigers winning the last two meetings.
NJCU trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half, before rallying to gain a seven-point margin late in the second half.
There were 11 ties and eight lead changes in the game. HSC shot 45-of-56 from the free throw line, and converted 18 straight to open the game, while sinking 16-of-19 at the stripe in overtime (84.2%). The Tigers made 8-of-11 threes in the first half, shooting 72.7 percent from deep. There were a combined 67 fouls in the game.
Overall, 10 players reached double figures in scoring—five per side. Three NJCU players scored career highs, after each did not play in the Knights’ 76-62 loss to Albright in the tournament first round.
Sophomore swingman DANA JOHN (Hillside, NJ/Pocono Mountain East (Pa.)) notched a career-high 28 points in just 29 minutes on 10-of-15 shooting and 5-of-10 three-pointers, adding five rebounds, four steals and two blocks before fouling out. The 28 points eclipsed the mark of 27 accomplished twice. He has now scored at least 20 five times in his career and the Knights are 3-2 in those games; he has now netted 25 or more four times. Amazingly, John scored 25 points after the first half, as he only played three minutes in the opening period after picking up two fouls.
Junior guard SHY MARTINEZ (Union City, NJ/Union Hill) had never scored more than five in a game in his brief NJCU career or played more than 20 minutes, and had totaled just 16 points in his first nine games with the club. In defeat, he scored 20 points (8-13 FG) in 35 minutes with six boards and three assists. Senior point guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) played a career-high 44 minutes, tallying a career-best 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, with seven boards and four assists. His previous high was 17 against Montclair State University on February 4, 2004.
NJCU also received 15 points (5-12 FG) and three steals from sophomore guard KEVIN TUCKER (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris), who was ejected from the game in the second overtime after picking up his second technical foul. Senior center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) contributed 14 points (5-12) and eight rebounds in 28 minutes before fouling out, and freshman forward DIVINE LYLES (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) added eight, including 2-of-2 three-pointers. Junior power forward MARQUES HILL (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) had six points and three blocks in 20 minutes before leaving with five fouls.
The Tigers received a combined 61 points from two players, led by junior guard Drew Prehmus (Atlanta, GA/Wesleyan School) who poured in a career-high 34 points and eight boards in 49 minutes, including an overtime-forcing three-pointer with three seconds remaining in regulation. He shot 9-of-14 from the field, 5-of-7 from three-point range and 11-of-12 from the line.
Senior guard Mike Edwards (Richmond, VA/Steward School) collected 27 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes before becoming one of four Tigers and seven overall to foul out. He shot 8-of-13 field goals, 3-of-3 from triple range and 8-of-8 from the line.
HSC also received 14 points (3-6 3FG, 5-5 FT) and seven assists in 41 minutes from senior guard Matt Green (Richmond, VA/Thomas Dale) before fouling out and 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench from junior swingman Tyler Murray (Atlanta, GA/Harrison). Freshman swingman Karlis Trops (Riga, Latvia/Charlotte Latin) added 10 points (8-10 FT) and eight rebounds.
In the first half, a pair of 8-0 runs gave HSC leads of 8-0 and 20-11 before a fast-break basket by Martinez cut the deficit to 22-20. An 11-1 run made it 33-21 HSC with 9:47 remaining, and an Edwards jumper gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game, a 15-point, 46-31 margin with 5:30 left. Prehmus hit a jumper at 2:07 to maintain a 15-point, 50-35 lead, before the Tigers went to the break ahead 54-44.
In the second half, NJCU trimmed the deficit to 60-56 before four free throws following a technical made it 64-56 at 14:03. John hit a three and proceeded to score seven straight points for the Knights who drew within one, 64-63 at 12:15. Lyles gave NJCU its first lead of the day with a triple at 11:48 (66-64), and after two ties, a John three at 10:18 made it 71-69.
John continued with his hot shooting, as he would score 14 of 16 points for NJCU in the middle of the second half. His steal and fast-break two-handed dunk made it 73-70, before a Tucker layup at 8:10 put the Knights ahead 77-72. Buckets by Mirabel and Martinez put NJCU in front 81-74 with 6:25 left.
NJCU held three leads of seven points in the final 6:25, including 84-77 on a Tucker layup at 4:24. But after two missed free throws and a turnover, a Prehmus three cut the lead to 84-80 at 3:23. Mirabel hit a jumper at 2:26 for an 86-60 margin, and Hill added two free throws at 1:54 for an 88-82 cushion.
However, Edwards drained a three with 1:30 left and after two Tucker free throws, Edwards added a layup with 17 seconds left for a 90-89 deficit.
NJCU extended the lead to 92-89 with 14.9 seconds left after Martinez calmly hit two free throws. But with three seconds remaining in regulation, Prehmus drilled a three from the left wing to force overtime, 92-92.
In the first overtime, there were five ties, as each squad answered the other with big plays. With HSC leading 101-99 with 1:37 left, a layup by Martinez tied the game, and John buried his second three of the overtime period, to give the Knights a 104-101 lead with 50 seconds left. A Prehmus layup with 22 seconds left made it 104-103, and after Mirabel made one of two from the line with 18 seconds remaining, Murray, who scored all 14 of his points after halftime, tied the game with 4.6 seconds remaining with a layup.
The first overtime had a controversial ending. After the Murray layup, the scoreboard incorrectly registered the score at 107-103 in favor of NJCU, instead of the correct 105-105. Seeing that score, Tucker received the inbounds pass and burned the remaining time in the backcourt without a shot attempt, thinking NJCU had won. However, despite the effect of that error, the two squads went to double overtime.
In the second extra period, Martinez put NJCU in front, 109-107, with a triple at 3:47, but John fouled out 12 seconds later, and HSC would finish the game by scoring 13 of the final 17 points. With the game tied 110-110 with 2:54 left, sophomore guard Byron Lawton (High Point, NC/Wesleyan Academy) put the Tigers in front to stay with 2:44 left. Leading 113-111 with 2:01 remaining, Murray converted a lay-up and free throw for a 116-111 margin and the Tigers sank five consecutive free throws to ice the game.
NJCU will return to action on Friday, January 5 at 6 p.m. when it faces Lycoming College in the opening round of the Albright College TGI Friday’s/Sheraton Tournament in Reading, PA.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
Newspaper Box Score NJCU vs Hampden-Sydney College 12/30/06 2 p.m. at Hampden-Sydney, VA (S. Douglas Fleet) At Hampden-Sydney, VA (S. Douglas Fleet) HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE 120, NJCU 113 NJCU (5-5) Dana John 10-15 3-4 28; Shy Martinez 8-13 3-4 20; Alex Mirabel 7-11 4-7 18; Kevin Tucker 5-12 4-7 15; Abraham Williams 5-12 4-9 14; Divine Lyles 2-4 2-2 8; Marques Hill 2-4 2-2 6; Jamal Slappy 1-2 2-3 4; Aaron Desir 0-2 0-0 0; Luis Dominguez 0-1 0-2 0; Bruce Rice 0-0 0-0 0; Josh Lopez 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 40-80 24-40 113. HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE (5-4) PREHMUS, Drew 9-14 11-12 34; EDWARDS, Mike 8-13 8-8 27; GREEN, Matt 3-9 5-5 14; MURRAY, Tyler 4-9 6-11 14; TROPS, Karlis 1-2 8-10 10; MEDLIN, Lane 2-6 3-4 7; LAAKSO, Jyri 2-5 1-2 5; ROBERTSON, Fitz 0-1 3-4 3; PHILLIPS, Cale 1-4 0-0 2; LAWTON, Byron 1-1 0-0 2; KITTRELL, MATT 1-3 0-0 2; ROLANDER, Eric 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-67 45-56 120. NJCU.......................... 44 48 13 8 - 113 Hampden-Sydney College........ 54 38 13 15 - 120 3-point goals--NJCU 9-27 (Dana John 5-10; Divine Lyles 2-2; Kevin Tucker 1-5; Shy Martinez 1-3; Aaron Desir 0-1; Josh Lopez 0-4; Alex Mirabel 0-2), Hampden-Sydney College 11-17 (PREHMUS, Drew 5-7; GREEN, Matt 3-6; EDWARDS, Mike 3-3; KITTRELL, MATT 0-1). Fouled out--NJCU-Dana John; Abraham Williams; Marques Hill, Hampden-Sydney College-GREEN, Matt; MEDLIN, Lane; TROPS, Karlis; EDWARDS, Mike. Rebounds--NJCU 37 (Abraham Williams 8), Hampden-Sydney College 51 (TROPS, Karlis 8; PREHMUS, Drew 8; EDWARDS, Mike 8). Assists--NJCU 14 (Alex Mirabel 4), Hampden-Sydney College 21 (GREEN, Matt 7). Total fouls--NJCU 35, Hampden-Sydney College 32. Technical fouls--NJCU-Kevin Tucker 2, Hampden-Sydney College-None. A-279 Consolation game of 2006 HSC Weenie Miller Holiday Hoops Tournament. NJCU loses for first time in school history when scoring 100+ points (77-1). NJCU allows most points in single-game school history; previously 119 in 1972. All-time series tied 2-2. NJCU 216-14 when scoring 90+.