Avante Gilbert 24-1
©Prescod Media
87
Wm. Paterson WP 5-9,1-6 NJAC
91
Winner New Jersey City NJCU 10-4,5-2 NJAC
Wm. Paterson WP
5-9,1-6 NJAC
87
Final
91
New Jersey City NJCU
10-4,5-2 NJAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Wm. Paterson WP 38 49 87
New Jersey City NJCU 40 51 91

Next Game:

at Rutgers-Camden

1/15/2025 | 5:00 PM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Jan. 15 (Wed) / 5:00 PM
at Rutgers-Camden
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Contact: Tom Krychkowski; Assistant Athletic Director for Communications & Marketing

NJCU Outlasts William Paterson in NJAC Thriller, 91-87

JERSEY CITY, NJ -  New Jersey City University withstood a late surge from William Paterson University to secure a hard-fought 91-87 win in a high-scoring New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) matchup Saturday afternoon at the John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center.

The Gothic Knights (10-4, 5-2 NJAC) were led by standout performances from Jaheim Lewis (Hillside, N.J./Hillside), who tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, and a near-flawless 10-of-11 showing at the free-throw line. Hakeem Wilson (Newark, N.J./North Star Academy) added 18 points, including critical baskets during NJCU's late surge. Avante Gilbert (Paterson, N.J./International) chipped in with 15 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. William Paterson (5-9, 1-6 NJAC) was led by Neftali Valentin, who led all scorers with 24 points, including six 3-pointers on 10-of-18 shooting. Andre Wells filled the stat sheet with 20 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals, while David Martinez added 18 points and three 3-pointers.

The game was a back-and-forth affair that featured 12 ties and 17 lead changes, with neither team able to gain a decisive edge until the final moments. NJCU held a slim 40-38 lead at halftime, buoyed by a 14-point contribution from its bench and an efficient 50% shooting effort from the field in the opening half.

William Paterson quickly knotted the game up in the second half and continued the back-and-forth trend of the first half. Wilson capped a 10-0 run with a fast break layup to give the Gothic Knights its largest lead of the game, 68-59 with 7:55 remaining on the clock. The Pioneers refused to go without a fight and cut the lead down to two with 50 seconds left in the game. Avante Gilbert (Paterson, N.J./International) converted from the paint to keep the Pioneers from regaining the lead as Wells answered with a bucket of his own. Bakhi Rogers Robinson sealed the game for NJCU with a pair of free throws to secure the crucial NJAC win.

Up Next:
The men's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, January 15 when they head south to Camden, NJ to take on Rutgers-Camden at 5:00 pm. 

For the latest news, updates, and information on New Jersey City University sports, visit njcugothicknights.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Gothic Knights news by following NJCU Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Players Mentioned

Avante Gilbert

#10 Avante Gilbert

F
6' 6"
Fifth Year
Jaheim Lewis

#5 Jaheim Lewis

G
6' 4"
Senior
Hakeem Wilson

#1 Hakeem Wilson

G
6' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Avante Gilbert

#10 Avante Gilbert

6' 6"
Fifth Year
F
Jaheim Lewis

#5 Jaheim Lewis

6' 4"
Senior
G
Hakeem Wilson

#1 Hakeem Wilson

6' 0"
Senior
G