SAMAR BATTLE NOTCHES CAREER-HIGH 37 AS NEW JERSEY CITY ENDS REGULAR SEASON WITH 80-78 ROAD WIN
NJCU CLAIMS NO. 1 OVERALL SEED IN NJAC TOURNAMENT
Senior guard and All-America candidate SAMAR BATTLE (East Orange, NJ/Clifford Scott) scored a career-high 37, including 27 in the first half alone, and set a school record for three-pointers in a game, as New Jersey City University wrapped up the regular season with an 80-78 win over Montclair State University, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest at MSU’s Panzer Gymnasium.
NJCU (19-6, 10-3 NJAC) now moves on to the NJAC Tournament. The Gothic Knights, the No. 1 seed in the NJAC Blue Division, will also be the #1 seed overall in the six-team conference tournament because Richard Stockton College upset Rowan University, 61-55, on Saturday. NJCU and Rowan end the regular season tied for the best overall NJAC record, but the Knights own the tiebreaker, based on an 85-65 win over the Profs on December 10.
Now, the road to the NJAC Championship will go through NJCU. The Knights will receive a first-round bye and host the NJAC Semifinals on Thursday, February 26 against the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal between Ramapo College and William Paterson University. WPU, which was temporarily eliminated on Wednesday when NJCU defeated the Pioneers, was boosted into the NJAC Tournament with the Knights’ win over the Red Hawks. If NJCU wins Thursday, it will host the NJAC title game on Saturday. Saturday’s game was the final regular season contest for NJCU as a member of the NJAC.
MSU (13-10, 4-8 NJAC), which played with only seven active players after two were suspended due to an on-court altercation at Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday, is eliminated from NJAC contention with the loss. MSU will not make up the Camden contest.
The game marked the 27th time in Battle’s career he has scored 20-plus in a game, and the Knights improve to 24-3 all-time, 13-2 in conference games, and 12-1 this season when he reached the milestone. It was also the fourth time in his career and this season that he has reached the 30-point plateau, and Knights have won all four games. His previous career high was 32 at Kean University on January 31, 2004. The 37-point output ties for eighth highest on the single-game scoring charts in school history and is the most since JOHNNY MAYERS scored 41 at Kean on February 09, 1987. There have been six 40-point performances in school history.
Battle finished with 37 on 15-of-23 shooting (.652), and set a single-game school record by drilling seven three-pointers (7-of-11, .636). He finished with a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds (six defensive), with four steals and two blocks in 33 minutes. Battle converted 11-of-14 field goals in the first half (.786) and hit 5-of-7 from beyond the arc in 15 minutes during the period. He had 18 points by the 11:47 mark of the first half, and 21 before the half had reached its midway point (10:30).
Also for NJCU, sophomore forward MARK WASHINGTON (East Orange, NJ/West Side) added 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 32 minutes. Sophomore guard KAREEM COLLINS (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) and freshman forward RODNEY LIGON (Newark, NJ/University) each scored nine in a reserve role, with Collins dishing four assists and Ligon swatting three blocks. Ligon made all four shots he took. Senior forward HAROLD WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/St. Aloysius), who played two years at MSU before transferring to NJCU last year, contributed six points and seven rebounds.
Sophomore forward Gian Paul Gonzalez (North Haledon, NJ/Manchester Regional), who scored 27 earlier this month against the Knights, again paced the short-handed Red Hawks, finishing with a double-double of 23 points (10-of-18), and a game-high 11 rebounds (six defensive) in 37 minutes.
In all, four of MSU’s seven players reached double figures. Junior guard Lamont Newell (Lodi, NJ/Dwight Morrow) chipped in 16 (4-of-11) and four assists in 35 minutes, while junior center Michael Davis (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) also finished with a double-double, as he made 6-of-12 shots, en route to 12 points, and hauled down 10 boards in 36 minutes. Sophomore guard Anwar Montgomery (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) had 11 points (4-of-12), four steals, and three assists in 37 minutes.
After MSU opened a 5-0 lead to start the game, NJCU went wild. Battle scored 18 points during a 26-5 Gothic Knights run that made it 26-10 at the 11:47 mark. At one point during the tear, Battle scored 15 points as he registered six consecutive NJCU baskets, including three treys, in a span of 2:47. He single-handedly went on a 12-0 run that transformed an 11-8 lead into a 23-8 margin before MSU could get on the board again. The Knights led by as many as 23 on two occasions in the first half, including a 41-18 edge at 7:35 when Ligon drained a three. NJCU led by 15, 51-36, at the intermission.
In the second half, MSU made it interesting. A 13- 3 run between the end of the first and beginning of the second half brought the lead back to single-digits, before the Knights pushed the lead to 15 twice, including a 79-64 advantage at 5:26.
However, the Red Hawks, fighting for their season, took advantage of 25 NJCU turnovers (13 second half), including four down the stretch. NJCU did not score a field goal in the final 6:29 of regulation, and MSU went on a 14-1 tear to end the game before falling short.
As MSU fought back late in the second half, the Hawks pulled to within three, 80-77, after Gonzalez converted a lay-up with 1:37 left. Newell made one of two freebies with 55.3 left to get within two. NJCU missed two free throws with 25.1 left, and got the rebound, before being called for a travel. After the Hawks advanced the ball up-court and called timeout, they inbounded the ball with 7.0 seconds on the board. But a great defensive stand for NJCU prevented MSU from finding an open shot, and Newell heaved up a desperation three at the buzzer, which fell short.
NJCU shot exactly 50.0 percent for the game (31-of-62), capped by a 54.1 percent success rate in the first half (20-of-37). The Knights also shot lights out from long range, making 45.5 percent of their threes (10-of-22).
NJCU also out-rebounded MSU, 41-40. The Hawks shot 42.9 percent overall (30-of-70).
-WWW.NJCU.EDU/GOKNIGHTS-
Newspaper Box Score New Jersey City U. vs Montclair State University 02/21/04 4 pm at Montclair, NJ (Panzer Gymnasium) At Montclair, NJ (Panzer Gymnasium) NEW JERSEY CITY U. 80, MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY 78 NEW JERSEY CITY U. (19-6, 10-3 NJAC) Samar Battle 15-23 0-0 37; Mark Washington 4-10 1-1 10; Kareem Collins 4-6 0-1 9; Rodney Ligon 4-4 0-0 9; Harold Williams 2-3 2-2 6; Abraham Williams 1-6 3-6 5; Lamar Jones 0-2 2-2 2; Javier Rodriguez 1-3 0-1 2; Bo Agnan 0-0 0-0 0; Arshen Hunter 0-0 0-0 0; Christopher Kates 0-1 0-0 0; Mike Barry 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 31-62 8-13 80. MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY (13-10, 4-8 NJAC) Gian Paul Gonzalez 10-18 3-6 23; Lamont Newell 4-11 5-8 16; Michael Davis 6-12 0-1 12; Anwar Montgomery 4-12 2-2 11; James Kosior 3-7 2-5 9; Eric Sylvester 2-6 1-2 5; Tom Schafer 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 30-70 13-24 78. New Jersey City U............. 51 29 - 80 Montclair State University.... 36 42 - 78 3-point goals-New Jersey City U. 10-22 (Samar Battle 7-11; Rodney Ligon 1-1; Kareem Collins 1-2; Mark Washington 1-5; Javier Rodriguez 0-1; Mike Barry 0-2), Montclair State University 5-18 (Lamont Newell 3-7; James Kosior 1-3; Anwar Montgomery 1-6; Tom Schafer 0-2). Fouled out--New Jersey City U.-None, Montclair State University-None. Rebounds-New Jersey City U. 41 (Samar Battle 10), Montclair State University 40 (Gian Paul Gonzalez 11). Assists-New Jersey City U. 16 (Mark Washington 4; Kareem Collins 4), Montclair State University 12 (Lamont Newell 4). Total fouls-New Jersey City U. 22, Montclair State University 15. A-303 NJCU's Samar Battle scored a career-high 37 points and sets a single-game school record with seven three-pointers. His 37 tie for 8th in a game in school history. NJCU clinches the No. 1 seed & home-court throughout the NJACs as Rowan lost.