Wednesday, December 1, 2010 (Men's Basketball)

RUTGERS-NEWARK OUTLASTS NEW JERSEY CITY, 118-116, IN EPIC TRIPLE OVERTIME NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OPENING AFFAIR

JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game that can best be described as epic, New Jersey City University and Rutgers-Newark needed three overtimes, 55 minutes of actual court time and nearly three and a half hours to decide which rival would win the 2010-11 NJAC opener for both schools before the visiting Scarlet Raiders, rallying from deficits in each overtime period, including nine-points with 1:48 left in the first extra session, outlasted NJCU, 118-116 on "Coach Charlie Brown Court" at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on Wednesday night. In all, a combined 10 players scored in double figures and seven fouled out—including five for R-N—and there were 13 ties and 14 lead changes.

The game equaled the longest every played in the 78-year history of the Gothic Knight program and marked only the second time NJCU has ever lost a game when scoring 100 points.

By surviving, Rutgers-Newark remains undefeated at 5-0 (1-0 NJAC). NJCU, which suffered its second straight one-possession loss after being unable to protect a double-digit second half lead, drops to 1-3 (0-1 NJAC). NJCU leads the all-time rivalry, 57-11 but the Raiders have won the last four contests.

Newark shot 14-of-29 from three-point distance (.483), including 5-of-9 in the second half—55.6 percent—and a staggering 60.0 percent (6-10) in the 15 minutes of overtime. Overall, the Raiders shot 51.5 percent (34-66), including 15-of-26 in the second half (.577) and 12-of-21 in overtime (.571).

NJCU shot 52.4 percent in the overtimes (11-21) and finished at .443 for the game (35-79). NJCU's reserves outscored the Newark bench, 64-16, as the Raiders five starters combined for 102 points between them.

The clubs combined for 71 converted free throws. Newark shot 36-of-49 for a 73.5 percent rate; the Knights made 35-of-53 (.660). There were a combined 70 fouls whistled in the contest.

Rutgers-Newark sophomore guard Al'Don Muhammad (Irvington, NJ/Queen of Peace) scored the final four points of the game—two on a jumper in traffic from the right of the lane with 53.5 seconds remaining to tie it at 116-116 and two foul shots with 8.9 seconds left to account for the winning margin. He scored a game and career-high 31 points on 8-15 field goals, including three consecutive triples (3-4 3FG) in the waning moments of the first overtime, and added 12-of-14 free throws. Muhammad, who played 54 of a possible 55 minutes, dished nine assists to increase his NJAC lead of 42 helpers in five games and added three steals, despite eight turnovers.

At several junctures of the game, NJCU junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) tried to single-handedly will the Knights to victory. He finished with 28 points (6-12 FG, 2-6 FT) and shot 14-of-21 from the line while adding six assists and four steals with only two turnovers in 41 minutes. The points and assists were both career highs; he had scored 27 on November 16, 2007 while playing for Kean University.

Senior shooting guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) was equally as impressive, finishing with 25 points (10-18 FG, 2-7 3FG, 3-5 FT), six assists and five steals in 40 minutes with only three turnovers.

Junior center DASHAWN EAGLE (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) was the only player to finish with a double-double, seizing 16 rebounds (13 defensive) and 14 points, while stuffing five blocked shots in 41 minutes. He shot 5-of-15 from the field.

Also for NJCU, senior guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) netted 15 points in 18 minutes, shooting 3-of-5 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the line.

Sophomore point guard NAADIR WILLIAMS (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) scored all of his 11 points in the first half; he shot 3of-6 from three-point range. Sophomore forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting in 34 minutes before fouling out. Junior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) shot 2-of-4 from three-point range in the first half and had six points. No other NJCU player had more than four points or four rebounds.

For most of the game, the Raiders leading scorer was junior guard Pedro Burgos (Fort Lee, NJ/Fort Lee), who scored all 26 of his points in regulation, including 16 in the second half. He shot 6-of-11 from three-point range, 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line and added seven rebounds in 44 minutes before fouling out.

Junior guard Greg Moore (Jersey City, NJ/Bayonne) connected on the final two three-pointers of Newark's first-overtime comeback and finished with 26 points in 42 minutes, shooting 7-of-12 from the field, 4-of-9 from three-point distance and 8-of-10 from the line. He committed seven turnovers.

Also for the visitors, freshman forward Christian Garcia (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) grabbed 14 rebounds (12 defensive) and added eight points in 31 minutes before fouling out and junior guard Jeremiah Rivers (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony's) finished with 12 points (5-6 FT).

In a first half where NJCU hit eight threes in 16 attempts (.500), and led 41-27 at the break, it appeared that the hosts had the upper hand. Because leading 16-14 midway through the period, NJCU knocked down four consecutive triples—two by Abdullah in a span of 20 seconds and one each by Livingston and Barrino, for a 28-14 lead at the 7:53 mark. Naadir Williams' trey made it a 17-point, 39-22 margin, before the Knights took a 14-point cushion into the locker room.

The Raiders opened the second half on a 17-5 run and cut the deficit to 46-44 with 15:17 left in the period on a three by Burgos—at the time his 21^st point of the game. Newark twice cut it to one before Keith Williams and Barrino buried triples in a span of 17 seconds for a 55-48 lead with 12:03 to go.

But Newark would score the next 12 points to claim their first lead since the opening moments of the first half. Garcia had four points during the 12-0 run, including an offensive rebound and putback with 8:45 to go, as R-N held a 60-55 lead.

NJCU, which had a 15-2 advantage on the fast-break, used it to regain the lead. A Barrino steal led to a transition scoop layup by Albright and after Eagle sank two free throws (6:37), Keith Williams' steal and fast-break layup put NJCU in front 65-62. Three points by Moore tied it at 65-65 with 3:10 to go. Rivers hit a three for R-N for a 68-67 visitor's edge.

An alley-oop type pass by Keith Williams to senior forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) made it 69-68 with 2:19 remaining in regulation before Keith Williams kissed a floater off the right glass for a 71-68 margin (1:38). He stole the next possession from Muhammad from behind and McDermott kept the ball alive when he alertly threw a rebound off a Raider, while falling out of bounds with 52.5 left. Keith Williams was then fouled and hit the front end of two shots for a 72-68 cushion with 26.1 to go.

With 18.3 remaining, Burgos connected on a three from the right wing, making it 72-71. Barrino was immediately fouled and made the front end of two free throws for a 73-71 score and Newark forced overtime with 10.5 left when Muhammad sank two foul shots. Barrino's desperation three to win was wide.

In the opening 68 seconds of the first overtime, Eagle scored twice on the right post off assists from Keith Williams and Barrino and Barrino swiped a bad inbounds pass and scored a fast-break layup for a 79-73 lead. Keith Williams picked Muhammad's pocket from behind and was fouled, hitting one free throw with 3:26 left. After Eagle missed an uncontested layup with 2:45 to go, Barrino stole the outlet pass from Newark, tip-toeing the right sideline, before scoring with 2:38 left (82-75). When Barrino fed Livingston for a reverse layup with 2:17 left in the first overtime, NJCU led 84-76 and Keith Williams made the backend of two foul shots with 1:48 to go for a nine-point, 85-76 margin.

But Newark, which needed a near miracle finish to extend the game, did not quit and sank five three pointers down the stretch—four in the final 42 seconds of play. Three of the threes fell from near N.B.A. range and all five were converted in traffic with NJCU's defenders challenging the shots, to continue the night. Muhammad buried a triple with 1:44 to make it six-point game, but Livingston sank four from the line, sandwiched around a Muhammad layup with 1:16 left, to keep the lead at seven (90-83). Moore was fouled from three-point distance and made all three chances with 58.1 left, as R-N closed to 90-86.

Newark, needing to foul after every possession change, sent Livingston back to the line; he made one for a 91-86 lead with 53.2 showing on the clock. Eagle made one of two from the line with 46.5 to go and NJCU led 92-86.

From there, Newark's three-point shooting barrage began. Muhammad sank a 24-foot triple with 39.9 left and another with 31.4 to go, but each time Keith Williams buried free throws, sinking four, and NJCU led 94-89 before the third Muhammad make. Moore drilled a three from roughly 26 feet, cutting the deficit to 96-95 with 21.2 left. Once again, Keith Williams did what was required, sinking his seventh straight foul shot.

NJCU's 98-95 lead did not stand, because with 14.5 seconds left, Moore, in traffic, with two players screening his face, somehow notched the fifth Scarlet Raider three of the final two minutes, tying the game at 98-98. However, Moore, perhaps not realizing he had tied the game, fouled Keith Williams on the inbounds. The NJCU point guard missed the first foul shot, but made the second and NJCU led 99-98 with 13.3 left.

Newark junior guard Chris Diaz (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) was fouled driving to the basket with 7.9 seconds on the clock. He made the first foul shot, tying the contest at 99-99, but missed the go-ahead chance. The offensive rebound and putback by Rivers was short and NJCU recovered the ball with 5.2 left in a tied game, but after a timeout, Keith Williams' three to win at the buzzer did not connect.

So NJCU moved onto a second overtime period for the first time since a wild contest against Rutgers-Newark at The Golden Dome on January 28, 2009, and while each team scored 26 points in the first extra session, the schools tallied just 10 each in the fourth period.

Muhammad gave Newark a 101-99 lead with two free throws before a 17-foot jumper by Albright and an Eagle bucket on the right post put NJCU ahead, 103-101. With 2:10 remaining and five showing on the shot clock, Keith Williams took the inbounds pass and with one second left on the possession, drilled a long triple for a 106-102 lead.

After a Raider giveaway, NJCU failed to capitalize, committing turnovers on the next two possessions and Moore cut it to one, 106-105, with a pull-up fast-break three off a Muhammad steal on the left wing. With 28 seconds left, NJCU missed a shot, got the rebound, but turned it over and Moore, who registered the steal at midcourt, was fouled. He hit both chances from the line and suddenly, the Raiders led 107-106.

After a timeout, Barrino missed a jumper in the lane but followed his shot, tipping in the rebound with 12.2 left, and converted a subsequent free throw for a three-point play and a 109-107 lead. Newark called a timeout with 5.9 remaining and with 1.2 on the board, Diaz hit a jumper from the left of the lane, tying the game at 109-109 and sending it onward.

In the third overtime, after an 11^th tie, Keith Williams sank two foul shots and Barrino sank a pretty jumper off the glass for a 114-110 lead with 3:26 remaining. Moore answered with a jumper off the window and sophomore forward Hussein Abdelmaksoud (West New York, NJ/Memorial), who did not play until the third overtime and logged just four minutes of action, hit two foul shot to tie the game at 114-114 with 2:25 left.

With 2:08 remaining, Barrino buried a spinning jump shot in the paint for a 116-114 advantage. But Newark scored the final four points. Keith Williams couldn't convert a jumper with 1:11 left and Muhammad, in traffic, tied it with a jumper from the right of the lane with 53.5 to go. Barrino missed a three with 38 seconds left and with 8.9 seconds on the clock, Muhammad, fouled going to the goal, hit his two final free throws for a 118-116 edge. After a timeout, NJCU could not get a clean look at the basket and when Barrino's three did not fall, Newark escaped with the marathon victory.

NJCU is back on the court on Saturday, December 4 at 4 p.m. when it hosts Kean University in another NJAC game. Newark hosts The College of New Jersey that evening at 8 p.m.

—www.njcugothicknights.com—