JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore shooting guard Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/(East Orange Campus) came off the bench to score 26 points in 26 minutes and New Jersey City University refused to lose down the stretch in a key New Jersey Athletic Conference game with Montclair State University, as the Gothic Knights willed a 74-66 victory over the Red Hawks on January 30 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown (/) Court).
 
In true see-saw fashion, the game saw 16 lead changes and 12 ties before NJCU ultimately took charge in the final minutes.
 
The first-place Gothic Knights improve to 16-5 overall and 11-3 in the NJAC with four regular season games remaining—one full game in front of Rowan (16-5, 10-4 NJAC) in the standings after the Profs edged Stockton, 100-95.
 
Meanwhile Montclair State's two-game winning streak ends and it fell to 14-7 overall and 9-5 in the league—two games behind NJCU. With last-place Kean's shocking 78-75 win over Ramapo on Wednesday, the Roadrunners (15-6, 9-5 NJAC) are also two-games back.
 
Banks scored a career-high 26—his third 20-point effort off the bench this season—on 10-of-16 shooting while senior power forward Yuri Brutus (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) netted 16 points (5-9 FG, 6-6 FT) and had three steals.
 
Senior shooting guard James Richardson (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) got the starting nod with Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) missing the game with an injury and he responded with nine points (4-8 FG). Senior point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) had seven rebounds, five points, five steals and four assists.
 
MSU had four players score in double figures to account for 55 of its 66 points. Sophomore guard Myles Mitchell-White (Trenton, N.J.) scored 17 on 4-of-13 shooting but was 8-of-9 from the line. He had five rebounds and three assists before fouling out. Senior forward Jordan Roberson (Union, N.J./Union) produced a double-double with 11 points (4-5 FG) and 10 rebounds.
 
Also for the Red Hawks, junior guard Akbar Hoffman (Newark, N.J.) finished with 17 points (6-19 FG, 3-11 3FG) and five steals. Junior forward Jalen Parham (Hillsborough, N.J.) finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Irving Callendar IV (Somerset, N.J.) added seven points.
 
Key Moments
Montclair led 30-26 at halftime and the game became that much more interesting from there in an entertaining second half. MSU led 37-32 before Brutus' layup (10th point) and baskets by senior forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) and Banks (10th point) and the entire atmosphere in the gym changed when senior forward Salomon Pierre (East Orange, NJ/Bloomfield Tech) picked off a pass at midcourt and threw down a fast-break dunk that ignited the NJCU crowd, giving NJCU a 40-39 lead.
 
The teams traded ties at 40-40 and 42-42 before Hoffman hit a three (45-42, 11:40) but Richardson put NJCU back on top with a three-point play. A triple by Banks from the corner gave NJCU back a 48-47 lead (10:32) and after MSU grabbed a one-point advantage, a soaring running floater by Richardson made it 50-49 with 9:30 to play.
 
With 8:17 left, Brutus darted down the baseline to grab an offensive rebound and his strong putback put NJCU back on top 52-51. After an offensive foul, Banks hit a pull-up jumper from the foul line to make it 54-51. NJCU still led 56-52 with 6:02 to play and a Banks foul shot made it 57-52. With 5:35 left a fall-away shot in the lane by junior center Eddie Emodoh (Hackensack, N.J.) cut it to 57-54. Hoffman would hit two foul shots and NJCU turned it over leading 57-56 with 4:36 to go.
 
NJCU got the ball back and when Brutus missed inside, Banks trailed him for a huge putback for a 59-56 edge (4:07). Mitchell-White sank two foul shots at 3:58 (59-58). NJCU missed its next shot, Mitchell-White sank both with 3:43 to go to put MSU back on top, 60-59. With 3:32 left, Banks pulled up for a shot from the right elbow to put NJCU back in front, 61-60, and NJCU would not trail again.
 
After a nearly massive dunk by All-American Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) rimmed out on the fast break, NJCU retained possession. Banks hit a three from the left corner to push the lead to 64-60. MSU missed a three, Julius grabbed a rebound and was fouled. He sank one with 2:09 left to extend the lead to 65-60.
 
NJCU got a key defensive stand with 1:47 left, as Worthy drew a charge on Parham. After an NJCU turnover, Mitchell-White sank two more foul shots to make it 65-62 with 1:22 to go.
 
With the result still undetermined, Toney stepped to the line with exactly 1:00 left without a point on the day. He hit both (67-62). MSU missed a three attempted and Brutus muscled the rebound and was fouled; he hit two foul shots with 47 seconds left, extending the lead to 69-62. With 39.7 left Mitchell-White scored and was fouled, and his three-point play made it a 69-65 game. NJCU turned over the inbounds after a timeout.
 

But MSU wasted the opportunity. Worthy picked off the ensuing inbounds pass near midcourt, calmly laying in the fast break basket. Banks stole the next pass, was fouled, and hit one foul shot for his 26 point for a 72-65 lead and NJCU sealed it from there.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 172nd known meeting between these historic rivals. Montclair currently leads the series, 95-77.
• Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/(East Orange Campus) scored in double figures for the 10th time in 21 games in his first season playing for NJCU.
• Yuri Brutus (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) scored in double figures for the ninth time this year and the 28th time in his career.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) tied for 16th in school history with 1,257 points, tying former NJAC Rookie of the Year Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) (1257 points, 2012-16). Here are the next players on the list (* denotes three-year career):
  • 13th: Jeff Harrington (/) (1997-2001), 1302 points
  • 14th: Dana John (Hillside, NJ/Pocono Mountain East (PA)) (2005-08), 1281 points *
  • 15th: Steve Schindler (/) (1970-73), 1263 points *
  • 16th: Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) (2012-16), 1257 points
  • 16th: Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) (2016-19), 1257 points *

 
UP NEXT:
 

• NJCU will look to move closer to a bye in the NJAC Tournament on Saturday, February 2 when it visits Stockton in Galloway, N.J. It will be an early 1 p.m. start with the women's game following. The Ospreys (9-12, 7-7 NJAC) are fighting for their playoff lives, tied with William Paterson (12-9, 7-7 NJAC) for the sixth and final NJAC Tournament berth. NJCU won the first meeting of the year against Stockton, 79-67, on January 5. It will be the 86th meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 49-36.

 
GOTHIC KNIGHTS on SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the latest on #NJCUMBB, follow the Gothic Knights on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. Preferred hashtags are #GothicFamily and #GothicGameDay.