Junior power forward MEGAN KABBA (Newark, NJ/Arts) notched 16 of her career high 28 points in the second half, and sophomore point guard LATRESE McNAIR (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) added 12 points, nine steals, and five assists, as New Jersey City University pulled in front by as many as 20, and held on to defeat Centenary College, 63-56, at the John J. Moore Athletic and Fitness Center. The game was a Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.
NJCU improves to 6-7 overall and 2-1 in the WIAC, and lead the all-time series, 6-0. Centenary is 2-9 (0-1 WIAC) and have lost seven of eight overall. The Cyclones committed 29 turnovers versus 19 for the Gothic Knights, which led to a 26-8 margin in points off giveaways in favor of NJCU.
For Kabba, the 28-point performance eclipsed her previous high of 20 set at Montclair State University on February 21, 2004, and were the most scored by any NJCU women’s player since Anabel Rodriguez registered 34 at Stevens Institute of Technology on January 21, 2002. Kabba shot 11-of-22 overall and 6-of-8 at the line, and added eight rebounds in 38 minutes.
McNair had 12 points (5-13), and tied her season high with nine steals in a game for the third time this year. She added five assists, despite committing six turnovers.
Junior guard/forward BERNICE AMADEO (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) added 12 points, while hitting 3-of-4 from three point range, and 3-of-7 overall. She grabbed eight rebounds, while dishing a game-best six assists. Freshman center TIFFANY BOYD (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) hauled down a team-best nine rebounds (six defensive), and rejected four blocks.
Centenary was led by freshman guard JESSA JONES (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield), with 17 points (7-9 FG) and seven rebounds.
Freshman guard HEATHER DOMOTOR (South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) had a game-high 10 rebounds, seven points, four steals, and three assists. Freshman guard LAURA FEIGUS (Colts Neck, NJ/St. Rose) contributed seven points and seven rebounds in defeat.
Trailing 5-2 in the opening minutes, a 12-0 run by NJCU gave the Knights a 14-5 edge they would never relinquish. Kabba had six points during the initial spurt. NJCU led 31-19 at the half.
Leading by nine in the second period, NJCU produced another run, this time 13-2 to gain a 20-point advantage, 55-35, its largest of the game, at 5:39. Kabba recorded eight points during the streak.
However, Centenary manufactured a 13-0 run of its own over a span of 3:36 against a mixture of NJCU first, second, and third teamers and pulled within seven, 55-48 with 2:33 remaining. The Cyclones pulled within four, 60-56, with 20 seconds left, but ran out of time in their comeback attempt as Amadeo hit two free throws in the closing seconds.
Both teams shot comparably, with NJCU at .364 (24-66), and CC at .355 (22-62). NJCU was 5-of-13 from three-point range (.385), while Centenary was just 1-for-9. Centenary received a 25-11 margin in bench scoring.
NJCU returns to action with a newly scheduled game on Saturday, January 15 at 2pm when the Knights travel to Baltimore, MD to face the College of Notre Dame.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
Newspaper Box Score Centenary College vs New Jersey City University 01/12/05 6 pm at Jersey City, NJ (John J. Moore Center) At Jersey City, NJ (John J. Moore Center) NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY 63, CENTENARY COLLEGE 56 CENTENARY COLLEGE (2-9, 0-1 WIAC) Jessa Jones 7-9 3-4 17; Solaris Ortiz 4-11 1-2 9; Heather Domotor 3-10 1-4 7; Laura Feigus 2-7 2-4 7; Ashley Mascuch 3-6 0-0 6; Ayana Way 1-8 2-2 4; Dana Tobia 1-4 2-4 4; Crystal Meny 1-3 0-0 2; Connie Andrade 0-0 0-0 0; Michelle Henderson 0-2 0-0 0; Tanyall Law 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-62 11-20 56. NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY (6-7, 2-1 WIAC) Megan Kabba 11-22 6-8 28; Latrese McNair 5-13 1-4 12; Bernice Amadeo 3-7 3-4 12; Taliah Chambers 2-4 0-0 5; Tiffany Boyd 2-6 0-0 4; Moncia Lykes 1-1 0-0 2; Erika Cubile 0-7 0-0 0; Patricia Payne 0-0 0-0 0; Beth Amadeo 0-1 0-0 0; Stephanie Hogan 0-1 0-0 0; Allana Diaz 0-0 0-0 0; Natashia Clackley 0-1 0-1 0; Arnese Goodman 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 24-66 10-17 63. Centenary College............. 19 37 - 56 New Jersey City University.... 31 32 - 63 3-point goals-Centenary College 1-9 (Laura Feigus 1-2; Solaris Ortiz 0-1; Heather Domotor 0-5; Dana Tobia 0-1), New Jersey City University 5-13 (Bernice Amadeo 3-4; Latrese McNair 1-1; Taliah Chambers 1-1; Erika Cubile 0-6; Stephanie Hogan 0-1). Fouled out--Centenary College-Solaris Ortiz, New Jersey City University-None. Rebounds-Centenary College 50 (Heather Domotor 10), New Jersey City University 41 (Tiffany Boyd 9). Assists-Centenary College 9 (Heather Domotor 3), New Jersey City University 17 (Bernice Amadeo 6). Total fouls-Centenary College 16, New Jersey City University 16. A-124 Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game. Megan Kabba scores a career-high 28 points for NJCU.