TWO SCORE 27 FOR MONTCLAIR AS RED HAWKS SURPRISE NJCU, 90-80
WIN IS 100TH AT MONTCLAIR STATE FOR HEAD COACH TED FIORE
Sophomore forward Gian Paul Gonzalez (North Haledon, NJ/Manchester Regional) scored a game-high with 27 points, and added 12 rebounds, and junior guard George Tejada (Hackensack, NJ/Fort Lee) matched him with 27 more, including 16 in the first half alone, as Montclair State University surprised New Jersey City University, 90-80, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men’s basketball game at the Athletic & Fitness Center.
The win for MSU (11-7, 4-5 NJAC) gives sixth-year head coach Ted Fiore his 100th victory at the helm of the Red Hawks. MSU has won four of its last five games.
NJCU (16-5, 7-2 NJAC), which assumed the No. 1 ranking in the Atlantic Region in today’s first NCAA regional poll of the 2003-04 season, lost for the first time against an NJAC Blue Division foe this year. The Knights could have wrapped up the top seed in the division for the conference tournament with a win. There are four NJAC games remaining.
In a back-and-forth game that featured nine ties and four lead changes, Montclair used a 9-0 run to break what was a 58-58 deadlock with 8:57 remaining into a 67-58 edge on a Gonzalez free throw with 6:58 on the board. NJCU never could catch up, with the Hawks owning a lead that fluctuated between seven and 13 points the remainder of the game.
The difference was again at the line, where MSU converted 22-of-26 free throws (.846), while NJCU only made 17-of-34 from the stripe (.500).
NJCU had led 36-34 at the half, before Gonzalez scored 17 of his 27 in the second stanza. He was 8-of-14 from the field, and really made the difference at the charity stripe where he converted all 11 chances. All of his free throw attempts came in the second half. He added 12 rebounds (10 defensive) in 28 minutes.
Tejada scored his 27 on 12-of-17 shooting, thanks in part to five steals. He committed six turnovers in 38 minutes. Junior center Michael Davis (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) added 14 points (6-of-9), seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 36 minutes.
Despite shooting only 1-of-8, junior guard Lamont Newell (Lodi, NJ/Dwight Morrow) had a solid statistical game with six points, six assists, and eight rebounds (six defensive), to make up for five turnovers. Sophomore guard Anwar Montgomery (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) had eight before fouling out.
In defeat, sophomore forward MARK WASHINGTON (East Orange, NJ/West Side) registered a double-double, and a near triple-double with 18 points (6-of-15 FG), and game-highs of 14 rebounds (eight defensive) and seven assists. He also had three steals and two blocks in 36 minutes.
Sophomore guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) notched a career-high 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, with 12 coming in the opening half. Sophomore guard KAREEM COLLINS (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) poured in 15 points (6-of-13) with six rebounds.
Senior guard SAMAR BATTLE (East Orange, NJ/Clifford Scott), who entered the game with 1319 points and a 20.5 season scoring average, had a second straight off-night offensively, mustering 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting, and 0-for-6 from three-point territory. Still, his 12 points were enough to pass head coach CHARLES BROWN on the NJCU all-time scoring list, and move into ninth place. Brown scored 1324 points in a three-year career at then-Jersey City State from 1962-65. Battle also had six rebounds and three blocked shots to add to his own career school record.
NJCU only committed 14 turnovers, but struggled from the field, shooting 36.7 percent (29-of-79). MSU hit 56.1 percent on the night (32-of-57), including 60.0 percent in the first half (15-of-25). NJCU out-rebounded MSU, 46-37, including 29-10 on the offensive end. NJCU’s bench outscored MSU’s, 26-8, but the Hawks dominated in the paint, 50-32.
NJCU returns to action on Saturday, February 07 at 8pm when the Knights host Rutgers-Camden in an NJAC Blue Division game at the Athletic & Fitness Center.
-WWW.NJCU.EDU/GOKNIGHTS-
Newspaper Box Score Montclair State University vs New Jersey City U. 02/04/04 8 pm at Jersey City, NJ (Athletic & Fitness Ctr) At Jersey City, NJ (Athletic & Fitness Ctr) MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY 90, NEW JERSEY CITY U. 80 MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY (11-7, 4-5 NJAC) George Tejada 12-17 1-2 27; Gian Paul Gonzalez 8-14 11-11 27; Michael Davis 6-9 2-2 14; Anwar Montgomery 2-4 2-2 8; Lamont Newell 1-8 4-6 6; Keith Duncan 1-2 2-3 4; Tom Schafer 1-2 0-0 2; Eric Sylvester 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 32-57 22-26 90. NEW JERSEY CITY U. (16-5, 7-2 NJAC) Mark Washington 6-15 5-10 18; Alex Mirabel 5-10 6-10 17; Kareem Collins 6-13 2-4 15; Samar Battle 5-17 2-6 12; Javier Rodriguez 2-8 1-2 7; Harold Williams 2-6 0-0 4; Abraham Williams 1-4 1-2 3; Arshen Hunter 1-1 0-0 2; Christopher Kates 1-2 0-0 2; Bo Agnan 0-0 0-0 0; Lamar Jones 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 29-79 17-34 80. Montclair State University.... 34 56 - 90 New Jersey City U............. 36 44 - 80 3-point goals-Montclair State University 4-8 (George Tejada 2-2; Anwar Montgomery 2-3; Lamont Newell 0-1; Keith Duncan 0-1; Gian Paul Gonzalez 0-1), New Jersey City U. 5-27 (Javier Rodriguez 2-5; Alex Mirabel 1-3; Kareem Collins 1-5; Mark Washington 1-6; Lamar Jones 0-2; Samar Battle 0-6). Fouled out--Montclair State University-Anwar Montgomery; Keith Duncan, New Jersey City U.-Javier Rodriguez. Rebounds-Montclair State University 37 (Gian Paul Gonzalez 12), New Jersey City U. 46 (Mark Washington 14). Assists-Montclair State University 17 (Lamont Newell 6), New Jersey City U. 18 (Mark Washington 7). Total fouls-Montclair State University 24, New Jersey City U. 24. A-592 Ted Fiore wins his 100th game as head coach of Montclair State (6th season). NJCU's first loss in the NJAC Blue Division this year. MSU has won four of its last five games. Samar Battle passes heas coach Charles Brown for 9th on NJCU scoring list.