New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score YORK, PA (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University followed an impressive season-opening win with another convincing all- around effort as junior shooting guard DAVID COLE (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) came off the bench to spark NJCU with 11 first-half points and the Gothic Knights cruised in the second period, winning the championship of the 14^th Annual Coaches vs. Cancer Classic by rolling over host York College (Pa.), 60-45, on November 17 at the Charles Wolf Gymnasium.
 
Senior swingman WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors after two solid all-around efforts and 2013 New Jersey Athletic Conference and Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year KHALID MUHAMMAD (Orange, NJ/Orange) also received an All-Tournament Team nod after pouring in a game-high 18 points, including 10 in the second half.
 
NJCU improves to 2-0, beating two tough opponents in the tournament by double figures while using a smothering defense to limit Stevens Institute of Technology and York to 51 and 45 points, respectively. The Gothic Knights are 2-0 for the second time in three seasons, last starting the 2011-12 season at 6-0, and NJCU wins a season-opening tournament for the first time since that 2011-12 campaign.
 
Meanwhile, host York (1-1) was held to 36 fewer points than the night before when it posted 81 points. In the first-ever meeting between the schools, NJCU forced 26 turnovers while committing just 13 and the Knights reserves outscored the York bench, 25-0.
 
"This was a great, collective effort—there's no other way to say it," said a pleased seventh-year head coach Marc Brown. "The guys played hard. They remind of my team last year, which finished above .500 because of how hard they played. We just have more talent [this year]. What's really impressive about this win is we did this against a zone defense. We weren't getting the isolations with our wing guys and we've only been practicing against a defense like this for about a week."
 
"It's obvious after this weekend that this group plays hard, they play together and they play for each other and we're talented."
 
Muhammad, who scored seven in the season opener, reached double figures for the 24th time in 30 career games, dropping 18 points (7-12 FG) with four assists and two steals in 28 minutes, knocking down 3-of-6 three-point chances.
 
Cole, who previously only reached double figures in scoring twice in his career, netted all of his career-high 11 points in the first half when he drilled three consecutive triples after entering the game. He shot 3-of-8 from three-point range in 22 minutes.
 
"He got us going when we hit a lull," Brown said, commending his junior shooting guard. "He [Cole] has put in the work and works harder than anyone on the team and it's paying off. We had a conversation before the season of my expectations for him. He's our best outside jump shooter. Coming off the bench he's instant offense and at the other end of the floor, he plays great defense. He's comfortable, knows the program now in his third season and is not doing anything I didn't expect."
 
Albright, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds in the season opener, added nine points on 4-of-8 shooting and four rebounds in 24 minutes and junior point guard JOURDAN ROBERSON (Brooklyn, NY/University (Newark)) delivered six points, four assists and two steals in his second game as a Gothic Knight. Sophomore center ANDREW MARTINEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) provided seven points (2-3 FG) in 14 reserve minutes.
 
"Walik is our best all-around player but once Khalid got going in the second half, his [Walik's] offense took a back seat. That's the type of player he is. Khalid looked more comfortable and caught fire in the second half. It's going to take a bit to get his rhythm back."
 
York was led by Matt McNeely who matched Muhammad with 18 points (6-10 FG< 6-10="" ft)="" and="" six="" rebounds="" and="">Mike Mathews finished with 10 points (4-8 FG). B.J. Enck tallied nine rebounds (eight defensive) and eight points.
 
NJCU struggled from three-point range in the first half, making just 4-of-17 (.235) when it made 9-of-30 total field goals. Despite this stat line, NJCU went to the locker room in front, 26-20, and turned on the jets in the second half, hitting 14-of-24 from the field or 58.3 percent of its shots, including 4-of-11 from three-point distance.
 
NJCU did not score a field goal for more than six minutes to open the game but only trailed 4-1 after the Spartans committed five early turnovers. When Cole entered at the 14:12 mark, he immediately paid dividends. The 2012-13 Second-Team Academic All-NJAC recipient drilled a three at 13:26, buried another at 12:33 for a 7-6 lead and a third triple with 11:33 left in the first half. Just 15 seconds later, Cole picked off a steal and sprinted down court for a fast-break layup and a 12-6 margin with his 11^th point.
 
Martinez pushed the NJCU lead to eight, 14-6, before the Spartans tried to make a game of it, rallying with a 9-0 run to reclaim a 15-14 cushion with 6:18 to go on a Mathews steal and fast break bucket.
 
But Martinez would convert a three-point play and Muhammad knocked down a three with 4:41 to go and NJCU wouldn't trail again. NJCU led 26-18 on two more Martinez foul shots before taking a six-point lead to the break.
 
Early in the second half, York was able to whittle the deficit to two—28-26 and 30-28—with free throws. However, the Knights began to slowly pull away for good, utilizing a 10-2 scoring punch over a 3:19 span to seize a 10-point, 40-30 differential. Muhammad was key to that spurt, scoring eight points in a two-minute stretch—a layup and two three-pointers, before his steal would eventually lead to an Albright layup.
 
The Gothic Knight lead swelled from there, reaching 15 points with 10:55 to go in the half on a fast-break layup by senior point guard JAHMILL JENKINS (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) off a Cole steal and dish. NJCU's largest advantage was 19—58-39—with 3:17 to play.
 
NJCU will open its 2013-14 12-game home schedule on Tuesday, November 19 at 8 p.m. against ECAC Division III Metro semifinalist John Jay College.
 
Brown noted: "John Jay is dangerous. They play like we play, up and down and pressing. We're taking it one game at a time. This should be a good one."

COACHES vs. CANCER CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
SCHOOL	PLAYER	YEAR	POSITION	HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
NJCU	WALIK ALBRIGHT	SR	SF	Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter
NJCU	KHALID MUHAMMAD	SO	SG	Orange, NJ/Orange
York	Matt McNeely	SR	F	Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright
Stevens	Evan Klimchak	SO	G	Readington, NJ/Hunterdon Central
Gallaudet	Joshua McGriff	FR	F	Somerset, NJ/Franklin
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: WALIK ALBRIGHT, NJCU