MONTCLAIR, NJ…New Jersey City University led at halftime, but could not find an answer for senior center Gian Paul Gonzalez (North Haledon, NJ/Manchester), who scored 20 points in each half to finish with a career-best 40, and broke the Montclair State University record by sinking 18-of-18 free throws, as MSU defeated NJCU, 89-82, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both schools, Tuesday night at Panzer Gymnasium.
NJCU, playing its first NJAC game since capturing its 11th conference title in February 2004, following one year as an independent, falls to 1-2 and 0-1 in the NJAC. Montclair improves to 2-1, 1-0 NJAC.
Senior swingman
MARK WASHINGTON (East Orange, NJ/West Side) finished with a team-high 21 points (7-of-13) and five assists, including a pair of threes down the stretch as NJCU attempted to rally late. For
Washington, it was the 23rd consecutive game he has reached double figures in scoring, and the fifth straight with 20-plus points. Overall, it marked his 22nd career 20-point effort. NJCU is 13-9 all-time when he scores 20.
Washington moved into 15th place in school history in scoring with 1189 points, passing Bob Johnson (1178, 1968-71).
Also for NJCU, sophomore guard
CHARLES COLES (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) tied his career high with 14 points, hitting 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range. Senior guard
ROB FREENEY (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) added 10 points (5-9), four assists and four steals.
Senior center
JAMES KAISER (Stewartsville, NJ/Columbia) had nine points (4-6) and five boards. Rookie swingman
DANA JOHN (Hillside, NJ/Pocono Mountain, PA)) had his best performance yet, finishing with eight points (3-6 FG, 2-4 3FG) and six rebounds before fouling out.
Gonzalez, who added nine rebounds and two assists, played all 40 minutes and broke his own MSU single-game mark of 17 free-throw set last season against Kean. Gonzalez also shared the mark with Pete Capitano, who ironically set the record against Jersey City State College (now NJCU) in December, 1962.
Also for MSU, senior guard Jamal Ford (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) had 18 points, hitting 3-of-6 from the field, all from three-point range, and 9-of-12 free throws, while grabbing seven rebounds and three steals in 36 minutes. Freshman forward Jonathan Arthur (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) had 13 points (6-of-11), and eight rebounds. Senior point guard Nick Aldiero (Howell, NJ/Howell) had a game-high six assists.
In a back-and-forth affair that featured five ties and 12 lead changes, NJCU led 8-7 in the first half before a Gonzalez lay-up made it 20-10 MSU with 9:31 left, courtesy of a 13-3 run.
NJCU answered, and utilizing a 14-3 run of its own in a 2:27 span, grabbed a 24-23 lead after a pair of Washington freebies with 7:04 on the board. NJCU drained three straight treys during the tear.
There were six more ties or lead changes in the period, before the Knights led 41-39 at the half.
MSU opened the second half on a 12-2 run, and gained the lead for good as freshman guard Garan Dickson (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) scored on a lay-up with 16:30 to play. Gonzalez scored eight during the run.
NJCU rallied, and shaved the lead to two, 53-51 with 10:47 left on a Kaiser free-throw. MSU extended the lead back to eight on an Arthur lay-up, making it 59-51. The Knights twice trimmed the deficit to three on treys by Coles, including 66-63 with 6:28 to play, but NJCU was unable to draw any closer.
Ford, who had 14 points in the second half, scored five straight to restore the lead to 71-63 with 5:34 to play and after NJCU pulled within six, Gonzalez hit four consecutive free throws to give MSU a 79-69 lead at 1:57.
MSU shot 56 percent from the field (28-50), including 61.5 in the first half (16-26), and behind Gonzalez, made 30-of-38 at the line (78.9%).
NJCU shot well, making 32-of-68 (47.1 percent), and were 16-of-34 in each half. The Knights nailed 10 three-pointers (10-26, 38.5%), but were plagued at the line, making only 38.1 percent of its tries (8-21).
MSU also owned a commanding rebounding lead, 44-24, including a 33-14 margin on the defensive glass, as NJCU was limited to seven second-chance points.
NJCU will open its 2005 home calendar on Monday, November 28 at 7 p.m. with a single-game against John Jay College.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
