New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half before rallying in the second half and in a game with seven lead changes, the Gothic Knights blocked two potential tying shots in the final seconds as NJCU opened defense of its 2011 New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball championship with a 61-59 edging of Rowan University on Saturday afternoon at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'
 
With the win, NJCU remains perfect at 5-0 (1-0 NJAC)—its best record after five games since opening the 1991-92 season at 7-0; that season was the second of two Final Four appearances for the program. Rowan is 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the league. NJCU leads the series, which predates World War II, 57-53, with a pair of consecutive wins.
 
Junior swingman WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter)  carried the Knights for portions of the game and finished with game highs of 17 points (5-11 FG, 6-11 FT) and 10 rebounds, while notching his second consecutive double-double and second of his career.
 
Junior swingman KAIHRIQUE IRICK (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck), who missed NJCU's last game on Sunday with an injury and had not been involved in basketball activity over a 10-day span, scored all 11 of his points in the second half, including 6-of-8 from the line.
 
Junior point guard NAADIR WILLIAMS (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) scored eight of his 10 points (4-7 FG) in the second half and hit a pair of key three-pointers (2-5 3FG) during NJCU's second half comeback.
 
Senior center MATT WASHINGTON (Hackensack, NJ/Paterson Catholic) contributed eight points (4-8 FG) and eight rebounds with two assists. Senior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) chipped in five points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
Rowan sophomore guard Rich McNamara (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) matched a game-high with 17 points, knocking down 5-of-7 from three-point range and 6-of-10 shots overall, with six rebounds.
 
Sophomore guard Jason Rosenberg (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) did a solid job at the point, dishing 10 assists versus two turnovers in a full 40 minutes of action. Sophomore forward Jason Sofman (West Milford, NJ/West Milford) collected a double-double of 13 points (4-10 FG, 5-6 FT) and 10 rebounds (seven defensive) before fouling out and sophomore center Dee Benson (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) added 14 points (7-15 FG), eight rebounds and two blocks.
 
With NJCU leading by two and less than 23 seconds remaining, Rowan had possession and tried to set up a tying or go-ahead basket. A pass into the right corner found McNamara open. But his three-point shot with three seconds left was blocked by Irick. Benson picked up the loose ball on the baseline before his game-tying opportunity at the buzzer was also rejected by junior center DAVID JONES (Millville, NJ/Cumberland Regional), who finished with three blocks—none bigger than the final swat.
 
“I was disappointed today because we were very prepared for them,” noted fifth-year head coach MARC BROWN, whose staff had scouted the Profs days earlier. “We knew they would play zone and we were prepared and got good shot opportunities but couldn't make them. We don't have enough of our guys playing well together right now and we need to get certain guys on the team going.”
 
“But what's most important is the win. Walik [Albright] carried us at times and Kaihrique [Irick] and Naadir [Williams] hit big threes for us. The bottom line is we got stops when we needed them and we're still undefeated.”
 
NJCU turned 20 Rowan turnovers into a huge 27-11 advantage in points off giveaways, while getting a 26-point boost in scoring from its reserves. Rowan played only seven men in the game and had seven points from its bench.
 
Rowan shot 50 percent for the first half (12-24) and led 29-24 at halftime before finishing at 46.0 percent overall (23-50). The Profs sank 7-of-15 from three-point range (.467).
 
NJCU struggled from the field in the first half, making 11-of-34 (.324) before improving to 45.5 percent in the second half, shooting 37.5 percent for the game (21-56).
 
Rowan, which held a three-point lead with 9:51 to play, elevated it to 10, 23-13, after a three by McNamara and four points by Sofman, and continued to lead by 10 with 6:06 left, 25-15. Junior guard Kendall White (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional), who entered the game averaging 13.4 points, was held to five on the day, but hit a jumper for a nine-point lead before Washington provided a pair of baskets down the stretch to whittle the deficit to five at the break.
 
With Rowan continuing to lead, NAADIR WILLIAMS made it a three-point game, 38-35, with 13:09 to play before McNamara answered with a trey 34 seconds later and Benson made it a 43-36 cushion.
 
A 9-0 run by the Knights gave the hosts their first lead since the 13:48 mark of the first half as NAADIR WILLIAMS drilled a three with 9:13 remaining after Jones, Irick and Albright had each provided two points to pull NJCU back within striking distance.
 
Once again McNamara hit a big three to put Rowan back on top, 46-45, and Benson extended it to 48-45. After an Albright foul shot made it a two-point game, he claimed an offensive rebound with 5:54 left, before Irick converted a layup to tie the game at 48-48. Two free throws by Albright put NJCU back on top, 50-48 with 5:21 to play before McNamara knocked down yet another triple with 5:00 left. The 51-50 margin would be Rowan's last of the game.
 
With 4:35 left NAADIR WILLIAMS sank a jumper off a KEITH WILLIAMS feed to put NJCU back on top before KEITH WILLIAMS swiped a steal, converting a fast break bucket for a 54-51 mark.
 
After Benson made it a one-point game, Irick drained a three with 3:32 left and Albright gave NJCU its largest lead of the game, 59-53, with 3:04 to play.
 
“Kaihrique [Irick] hadn't touched a ball in 10 days, but hitting a big three in that spot is the type of shot we expect from him,” Brown said about his star transfer. “He's that type of player. But what really impressed me was his defense in the second half on Kendall White. He really got into him, played him well.”
 
With Rowan and NJCU trading free throws, Irick made the front end of two shots with 1:00 left to maintain a 60-56 lead and Jones sank the back end of two chances just three second later before sophomore guard Phil Jackson (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) hit a three-pointer with 44 seconds left, to make it a two-point game, 61-59. After NJCU committed a back court violation for a turnover with 23 seconds left Rowan had a chance to tie or win before the blocks by Irick and Jones sealed the win.
 
NJCU will next face York College (NY) in a non-conference game on Monday, December 5 at 8 p.m. in Jamaica, NY. Rowan hosts Rosemont College at the same time in Glassboro, NJ.