SOURCE: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2018/2/10/201802-10_MBASKETBALL_vs_Ramapo.aspx
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | For the second time this week, New Jersey City University backed up its No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region with a win it had to have. In a see-saw second half, sophomore power forward Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown)helped break open a tight game with two athletic plays in the final five minutes while assisting on a key three-pointer by junior point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) as the Gothic Knight men's basketball team stopped Ramapo College, 89-84, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on February 10 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court').
NJCU won its 19th game of the season (19-5, 13-4 NJAC) to move within one game of Ramapo (18-6, 14-3 NJAC) in the conference standings with one game remaining in the regular season. NJCU got redemption for an 85-84 overtime loss to RCNJ in Mahwah on January 13.
TCNJ is also 13-4 in the league, meaning the league's regular season title and two NJAC Tournament byes won't be decided until the final day of the season on February 14 when NJCU visits Stockton, Ramapo hosts Rowan and TCNJ heads to Rutgers-Newark.
The Roadrunners are ranked No. 3 in the Atlantic Region, and NJCU beat the No. 3 and No. 4 ranked teams in the region this week after an eight-point victory at Montclair State on Wednesday.
Ramapo shot 63.0 percent in the first half (17-27) and 4-of-6 from three-point distance (.667) with 8-of-11 foul shots to take a 46-40 lead at the intermission but the Gothic Knights outscored RCNJ 49-38 in the second half largely due to lethal three-point shooting.
The Knights hit 7-of-11 from three-point distance in the second half—63.6 percent—and 11-of-22 overall in the game. NJCU shot 50 percent from the field (31-62). That was enough to overcome a Ramapo squad that shot 58.5 percent (31-53) and 17-of-20 from the line yet lost.
A big part of Ramapo's shooting effort was due to a season-high 26 points from RCNJ senior forward Thomas Bonacum (Fanwood, N.J.), last year's NJAC Player of the Year, who was 9-of-15 overall and 6-of-6 from the line with nine rebounds and four assists; it was five more than his previous best effort and just his fourth 20-point showing of the season but he continued to play well against the Gothic Knights.
Meanwhile, Toney, this year's favorite for NJAC Player of the Year honors, only scored three points in eight minutes in the first half after picking up his second foul with 11:52 remaining in the half. But he was the biggest presence down the stretch for the Knights and finished with 13 points (5-11 FG), seven rebounds and four assists, playing the entire second half and picking up just one more foul.
NJCU got a strong effort from junior small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) who scored a team-high 15 points in 25 minutes, hitting 3-of-7 from three-point distance (5-11 FG). Sophomore shooting guard Jeff Haddock (Burlington Township, NJ/Willingboro), in his first game as part of this rivalry with Ramapo since transferring from Rowan, came off the bench to score 14 points in 19 minutes. He was 4-of-7 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range and 3-of-3 from the line.
NJCU received nine points apiece from three other contributors. Worthy had nine points (3-7 FG), six assists and three steals and rookie center Chika Wosu (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter)) added nine points (4-7 FG), six boards, two assists and two steals. Junior shooting guard Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) added nine points in 19 minutes. Junior small forward Marquis Blackwell (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) played six minutes of inspiring defense that helped change the defensive momentum of the game.
For Ramapo, sophomore guard Patrick Peterson (Blauvelt, N.Y.) had 14 points (5-10 FG, 2-4 3FG) and senior guard Josh Ford (Fort Lee, N.J.), who hit the winning shot in overtime against NJCU on January 13, had 13 points (5-8 FG) and three assists. Senior forward Christopher Moseley (Fair Lawn, N.J.) added 10 points (4-6 FG). Bonacum scored 16 points in the first half (6-9 FG, 2-3 3FG) for the guests.
NJCU was out-rebounded by Ramapo, 33-26, and only had 11 offensive rebounds but still managed to outscore the Roadrunners on second-chance points, 21-8. NJCU got 50 points from its bench and a 50-26 advantage from its reserves.
After trailing at halftime, the Knights were behind for most of the first 12 minutes in the second half and Ramapo led by as many as eight points early in the period.
NJCU finally grabbed a 72-71 lead with 7:35 left when Haddock hit a wild off-balance shot while being fouled and finished a three-point play. Haddock buried another three with 6:03 remaining to regain a 79-76 margin after Ramapo tied it at 76-76. NJCU wouldn't trail again.
The turning point of the game came with 4:17 left as Toney somehow hit a circus layup in transition while being fouled to give NJCU an 81-78 lead and electrify the crowd. The somehow, someway shot was followed up by his rebound of a Ramapo miss. Peterson hit a turnaround jumper in the lane with 3:25 to make it a one-point game.
But with 3:10 to play, Toney commanded a double team on the right baseline. That left Worthy wide open at the top of the arc and Toney found his quarterback. Worthy drilled the triple for an 84-80 edge.
After Ford scored inside with 2:54 to play, NJCU got a defensive stop and brought the ball down the court. With 1:17 remaining, Toney used an athletic move to split two defenders on the left side of the lane for an 86-82 lead then got another defensive stop. NJCU could have iced it with 33 seconds left but Wosu missed a dunk and after a foul, Bonacum hit two foul shots with 24.4 seconds left. Worthyhit two foul shots with 22.5 left to push the lead back to 88-84. NJCU would seal it on the next possession as Julius forced a turnover from Ford and Green hit a foul shot for the final five-point margin.
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