Contact: W. Scott Giglio, 973-443-8965
FDU-FLORHAM MEN’S BASKETBALL BEATS MARITIME, 61-53
MADISON, NJ – The FDU-Florham Devils beat the Maritime Privateers 61-53 to improve to 9-13 overall. Maritime drops to
2-19. Maritime used a four-corners offense to slow down the game.
The Devils fell behind early on as Maritime got out to a 10-2 lead. FDU caught up with a 15-0 run to take a 17-10 lead. Maritime stayed with the Devils for the rest of the half, and trailed 29-23 at the break.
With FDU leading 52-45 with 2:53 left in the game, the Devils were able to keep the clock moving without losing any ground as they blocked Maritime’s first shot attempt on three consecutive trips and contained the rebound. Senior forward Jeff Hemschoot (Little Silver, NJ) blocked a lay-up attempt by Maritime center Robert Benton. On Maritime’s next trip senior forward Chris Trotta (Monmouth Beach, NJ) blocked a shot by fast break lay-up by Benton. Hemschoot then swatted a jumper by Frantz Dunel.
The Devils missed their shots after the first two blocks, but extended their lead to nine points with 1:00 left to play as senior center Chris Hendershot (Vernon, NJ) grabbed an offensive rebounds and scored on the put-back.
Maritime fought back, as Benton knocked down a three-pointer off an assist from Marc Lashley with 52 seconds left to cut FDU’s lead to 54-48.
After Hendershot made a pair of free throws, Gary Browne canned a three off another assist from Lashley with 31 seconds left to get the Privateers within five points, 56-51.
Hendershot was fouled again, made the first free throw, and then missed the second. Maritime cut the Devils lead to four points with 19 seconds left, 57-53.
FDU’s sophomore guard Cody Chalmers (Middletown, NJ) was fouled immediately after catching the inbounds pass, and made both his free throws to put FDU up 59-53 with 18 seconds left.
Gary Brown then missed a three-point shot with nine seconds left, and after pulling down the rebound, Hendershot was fouled. He made both free throws to make the final score 61-53.
Gary Brown missed an off-balance three-pointer with one second left.
Hendershot scored a game-high 26 points and recorded his 10th double-double of the year, pulling down 11 boards. Hendershot now has 954 points with three games left in his in his two-year career at FDU, Chalmers, Hemschoot, and sophomore guard Frank Emslie (Hazlet, NJ) each added eight points.
For Maritime, Benton had 24 points and nine boards. Lashley chipped in 10 points. Browne had eight points and seven rebounds.
The Devils will be back in action on Saturday as they host Lycoming at 3:00 pm for a Freedom Conference game and their last home contest of the season.