JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | A year ago, Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) was one of the top freshmen in Division III, with all the awards to back that up. His sophomore debut was nothing short of spectacular on opening night 2017-18. Toney dominated the game with 23 points and 15 rebounds and juniors Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) and James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) combined for 29 points as the New Jersey City University men's basketball team held off a challenge from cross-Hudson County opponent Stevens Institute of Technology, 77-73, on opening night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court') on November 15.
 
In the first meeting between the schools inside the county in 15 years, NJCU (1-0) extended its consecutive games regular season home court winning streak to 19 straight by forcing Stevens (0-1) into 25 turnovers. NJCU led by as 11 early in the second half at the end of a 15-2 run that spanned 4:34 at the end of the first and early second halves.
 
Tied 71-71 with 1:07 left, junior center Yuri Brutus (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) hit a jumper from the right foul line extended with 45 seconds left and after a defensive stop, Green swished a pair of foul shots with 17.5 seconds to go to push the lead to four. Julius buried a pair from the line with 6.4 ticks left to seal the four-point outcome.
 
Toney, the 2016-17 New Jersey Athletic Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Metro and D3hoops Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year, was named to the DIII News National All-Freshman team. In the first game of his sophomore season he registered his sixth career double-double, a career high 15 rebounds (11 defensive) and was one point shy of a career scoring night. His 31 minutes included two blocks in a 9-for-19 shooting effort.
 
Green, a transfer from Ramapo and Montclair State, started slow before heating up in his NJCU debut and produced 15 points (5-11 FG) and six assists in 26 minutes. He scored seven points in a row—his first with the program—to close the first half.  Julius added 14 points (4-9 FG), including 3-of-6 three-point accuracy, and six rebounds. Junior point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) had an off-shooting night but produced career highs with seven assists and five steals. Brutus had eight points and six rebounds.
 
Stevens had four reach double figures, led by junior guard Jayson Winick (Naperville, Ill.) with 18 points (7-12 FG), six rebounds and four assists and senior forward Thomas Cook (Blechertown, Mass.) tallied a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Also for the Ducks, sophomore guard Spencer Cook (Washington Township, N.J.) had 12 points and sophomore guard Dylan Walsh (Staten Island, N.Y.) finished with 10 points.
 
The game was a rematch of the 2017 Harry James College Summer League which Stevens won, upsetting NJCU in the finals back in June.
 
KEY MOMENTS:

• NJCU led 32-29 at halftime after five lead changes.
• Stevens scored the first five points of the game before NJCU bounced back to move in front (10-9).
• With 12:35 left, a steal and fast break monster dunk by junior transfer Salomon Pierre (East Orange, NJ/Bloomfield Tech) ignited the crowd for a 16-11 lead.
• A triple by Toney with 7:28 left in the first half made it 22-15. He hit another three with 5:12 left for a 25-20 margin.
• A three by Stevens junior guard Kevin Florio (Stamford, Conn.), two foul shots by Cook and another Florio basket capped a 7-0 run that allowed Stevens to move in front, 27-25.

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  Behind Green, NJCU outscored the Ducks 7-2 in the final 2:05 of the opening half, regaining the lead on his first basket as a Gothic Knight—a three-pointer—before he hit two foul shots with 1:05 left and another jumper 13 seconds later.  
• NJCU scored the first eight points of the second half. A basket by Julius and a fast break dunk by Toney made it 40-29 with 18:16 to play—NJCU's largest lead of the game.
• Stevens whittled at the lead and cut it to two on a Winick jumper with 10:54 to play. The visitors finally reclaimed a one-point lead (62-61) with 6:34 left on a Florio jumper.
• Stevens never led by more than the one-point margin but had four leads as the teams traded possessions. The final 68-67 cushion came with 4:20 left on a Cook jumper.
• A jumper in the lane by Green with 3:50 left put NJCU back in front and he hit another shot with 1:19 to go (71-68) before Winick hit a three to tie the game at 71-71.
• After NJCU regained the lead for good on Brutus' shot, it got a defensive stop and Toney tied up a loose ball to force a jump ball possession arrow with 18.4 left before Green hit his two foul shots. After Cook converted a pair for Stevens with 9.2 seconds left, Julius sealed it seconds later.

 
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:
 

• Post-game #GothicKnightInsights interview on Facebook live with Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) and Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck): https://www.facebook.com/NJCUGothicKnights/videos/10155418775934915/

 
NOTABLES:
 

• Series: NJCU leads, 6-1 (Won last 6)
• First meeting since November 16, 2013 in York, Pa.
• First meeting in Hudson County since November 30, 2002 in Jersey City.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown)'s sixth career double-double.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) scored in double figures for the 20th time in 30 career games.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown)'s 15 rebounds were four more than his previous career high of 11, accomplished twice last year.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) reached the 20-point plateau for the fourth time in his career; the 23 points were the second most he has scored (24 vs. Stockton, February 18, 2017, NJAC Quarterfinals).
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) reached double figures in rebounds for the sixth time in his career.
• James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) scored in double figures for the 12th time in his career.
• Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central)'s seven assists were a career high (previous, five vs. Kean, February 1, 2017).
• Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central)'s five steals equaled a career high (five vs. Misericordia, December 30, 2016).

 
UP NEXT:
 

• NJCU heads to Madison, N.J. for the Rose City Tip-Off Classic at Drew University. In the opening round on Saturday, November 18, NJCU meets Gwynedd Mercy University, last year's Colonial States Athletic Conference runners-up, in an 8 p.m. neutral court contest. The next day, NJCU will face either host Drew or Brooklyn College. NJCU leads the all-time series, 2-0, and last faced Gwynedd Mercy 11 years ago. On November 19, 2006, NJCU defeated GM, 91-76, on a neutral court in Boston, Mass. in the championship game of the Emmanual College Tip-Off Tournament. NJCU also won, 76-74, in a tournament consolation game in Newport News, Va. on January 4, 2003.

 
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