New Jersey City University Athletics

 

POMONA, NJ…New Jersey City University received a game-high 20 points from freshman forward DANA JOHN (Hillside, NJ/Pocono Mountain (PA)) and 17 points from senior swingman MARK WASHINGTON (East Orange, NJ/West Side) and routed second-seeded Richard Stockton College, 73-56, in the semifinals of the 2006 Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Metro Tournament, Friday night at the Stockton Sports Center. It was NJCU’s eighth win in its last nine games.

 

NJCU (19-9), the third seed will play for an unprecedented sixth ECAC title on Saturday, March 4 at 7 p.m. when it hosts #8 Kean University at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. Kean reached the finals after defeating No. 4 Mount Saint Mary College, 93-57, in the other semifinal for its sixth straight victory. NJCU has won the last four meetings with Kean, and swept the season series, winning 81-75 in Jersey City on January 4 and 74-70 at Kean on February 4.

 

NJCU has won five ECAC Metro championships—1981, 1983, 1993, 1994 and 2001. The Gothic Knights will also be seeking the 14^th 20-win season in program history and the second in three years.

Meanwhile, NJCU, making its 24^th consecutive appearance in the post-season continues its dominance in the ECAC Tournament, improving to 21-6 (.778) all-time in the event.

 

The Gothic Knights were facing Richard Stockton (18-10) for the third time this season, and after splitting the first two meetings, NJCU posted its second rout of the Ospreys this year. NJCU leads the all-time series, 38-25.

John, this week’s NJAC Rookie of the Week, scored 20 points in a game for the third time in his career, and the Knights improved to 3-0 when he does. He nailed four threes, shooting 4-of-9 from long range (6-of-16 FG), with eight rebounds, and three assists.

               

MARK WASHINGTON" src="/images/mbasket/2006/3/4/01-28-06%20Mark%20Washington%206.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Washington shot 7-of-14 from the field to finish with 17 points and extended his career scoring total to 1,581. He needs seven points to pass Eric Moore (1,587 points, 1976-80) for fifth place in school history. Washington added four assists in 33 minutes.

 

Junior point guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) seized a game and career-high 11 rebounds (nine defensive), to surpass his previous high of nine caroms on three occasions, and contributed to the win with seven points and a game-high six assists. Senior swingman SANNI OJIBARA (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) had nine points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes, and NJCU improved to 8-1 since he played his first game of the season on February 4.

 

Also for NJCU, junior center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) tallied eight points, and junior forward DEVIN DAVIS (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Regional) chalked up five rebounds and five points.

 

Senior forward Miguel Rodriguez (Passaic, NJ/Passaic) notched a double-double in his final career game, with 17 points (8-14 FG), 10 rebounds (seven offensive) and two blocks. Senior forward Tobias Smith (Newark, NJ/Bloomfield Tech) had eight points (3-13 FG, 2-8 3FG) and seven defensive rebounds, and sophomore forward Jon Greene (Wildwood, NJ/Wildwood) finished with eight points (4-7 FG) and six defensive boards. Junior guard Kevin Holmes (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) grabbed nine rebounds (seven defensive) and had six points.

 

ALEX MIRABEL" src="/images/mbasket/2006/3/4/11-30-05%20Alex%20Mirabel%206.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>After four early ties, NJCU gained a 13-11 lead at 11:40 of the first half and never trailed again. A 12-2 run by the Knights put NJCU in front by 10, 23-13, including five straight points from Washington, who scored 13 of his 17 in the first period. RSC trimmed the lead to 30-27 at 2:06 of the period, before consecutive treys by John over 38 seconds put NJCU ahead 36-27, before the Knights took a 36-31 margin into the half.

 

Any chance for an Osprey rally was squashed early, as NJCU opened the floodgates to begin the second half, unleashing a 14-2 run to gain a 50-33, 17-point cushion at 15:04. John carved up seven points during the tear, including a three to make it a 10-point lead, and the Knights capped the run with a fast-break slam by Davis and another three by Washington.

 

Stockton never came closer than 15 points the rest of the night, and the NJCU cushion stood as high as 23 with 6:58 remaining, when Williams hit a layup to make it 64-41. The Knights margin stood in the 20s for much of the second half, and NJCU still led by 20 with 2:35 left, before the reserves closed out a 17-point win.

 

NJCU finished shooting 41.9 percent (26-62) and hit nine three-pointers (9-28). After not attempting a free-throw in the entire first half, the Knights shot 12-of-22 (.545) in the second half. NJCU committed only 13 turnovers. RSC shot 37.5 percent overall (24-64), but struggled in the second half, making only 10-of-34 (.294). The Ospreys were 2-of-11 from three-point territory overall (.182) and 0-for-5 in the second half.