Saturday, November 20, 2010 (Men's Basketball)

QUICK START PROPELS NJCU TO ROUT OF PHILY BIBLE, 82-52

ST. DAVID'S, PA (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University burst out to a 16-0 lead and was never challenged as the Gothic Knight men's basketball team notched its first victory of the promising 2010-11 season in convincing fashion, blowing out Philadelphia Biblical University, 82-52, in the consolation game of the Nate Ware Invitational hosted by Eastern University on Saturday afternoon. NJCU led by as many as 37 points in the rout.

NJCU improves to 1-1 overall. PBU, which had dropped its first two games of the season by a combined 17 points, loses by nearly twice that margin and falls to 0-3. NJCU leads the all-time series, 2-0, having prevailed by 34 points in the 2007-08 campaign. The win marked the 85^thtime in school history NJCU has defeated an opponent by at least 30 points.

Junior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) was named to the All-Tournament Team after he averaged 11.0 points and shot .571 (8-14) from the field in the tournament.

In a balanced scoring effort, 12 of the 13 players who played for NJCU scored. Junior center JOSH HOSANG (Hackensack, NJ/Palm Beach Central (Fla.)) led the way with a game-best 17 points in only 15 minutes of action, including 13 in the first half. He shot 4-of-6 from the field and 9-of-14 from the foul line with four rebounds (three offensive).

Abdullah shot 5-of-6 with 12 points, including a pair of transition dunks, in 12 minutes. Junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) had 10 points—all in the first half—on 3-of-3 shooting, including two three-pointers, while contributing four steals and three assists in 15 minutes.

NJCU also received seven points (3-5 FG), three assists and three steals from senior guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central). Sophomore shooting guard ASHMERE WILSON (East Orange, NJ/Weequahic) added seven points (3-6 FG). In all, 10 players had at least four points and no one played more than 21 minutes.

PBU received 12 points (3-8 FG, 6-8 FT) and five rebounds from freshman forward Jeff Bishop (Telford, PA) and 10 points (4-4 FG) and five boards from sophomore center Drew Lindow (Cherry Hill, NJ). Freshman guard Charles Hopkins (Lansdale, PA) scored nine points from three point range (3-3) off the bench. PBU converted 17-of-20 from the line (.850).

NJCU shot 28-of-60 overall (.467), including 51.7 percent in the opening period (15-29). The Knights collected 19 assists and used 15 steals to force the Crimson Eagles to commit 29 turnovers—as NJCU notched a commanding 39-7 advantage in points off giveaways and 46-16 in paint scoring. The Knights also had a 15-4 margin in second chance points and held a 22-6 edge on the fast break.

In a game that was never in question, NJCU jumped ahead 16-0 in the first 5:17 of the game as sophomore forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) scored back-to-back layups, Williams turned a steal into a fast-break basket and Hosang was fouled on a layup, finishing the three-point play for a 9-0 lead just 3:17 into the game. Williams drilled a triple at the 16:32 mark and Hosang scored for a 14-0 cushion before Williams added two free throws at 14:43.

PBU scored its first points at the 14:31 mark on a Bishop layup but the damage was done. A fast-break bucket by Albright made it a 23-point, 39-16 lead with 3:47 left in the opening period and NJCU led by as many as 24 points (42-18) before carrying a 44-23 lead into the locker room.

In the second half, the Knights gained a 31-point lead with 13:47 left when a layup by sophomore forward ISAIAH JOHNSON (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) made it 61-30. The largest lead was 37 with 10:31 left as Livingston grabbed a defensive rebound and found senior swingman ROB ROBINSON (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) for a fast-break bucket. NJCU led by at least 27 points at every juncture the remainder of the game.

Senior shooting guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz), who scored 15 points in the opening round, missed the game with an illness.

NJCU returns to action on Monday, November 22 at 8 p.m. when it visits Medgar Evers College in a non-conference contest in Brooklyn, NY.

—www.njcugothicknights.com—