Box Score GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University men's basketball team dropped both regular season meetings to Montclair State University but foiled the Red Hawks when it mattered most, advancing with an 81-69 victory in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Saturday.
 
The fourth-seeded Profs (17-9) move on to play the top seed Ramapo College (23-2) in the semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Montclair State was the fifth seed and finish the season with a 13-13 record. In the other first round contest, #3 New Jersey City University defeated #6 Stockton University, 97-87. The Gothic Knights (20-6) travel to the second seed The College of New Jersey (18-7) on Tuesday, Feb. 21 for a 7 p.m. semifinal game.
 
Guard Rob DePersia (so. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) led Rowan with 17 points. Guard Nick DePersia (so. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) and forward Shawn Wilson (sr. Pleasantville, NJ/Pleasantville) each scored 12 points. Guards DaRon Curry (so. Deptford, NJ/Phelps School (PA)) and Jeff Haddock (fr. Burlington, NJ/Willingboro) contributed with 11 and 10 points respectively. Forward TJ Booth (jr. Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) and Curry grabbed five rebounds apiece.
 
Red Hawks' forward Brandon Channer (sr. Manchester, Jamaica/Strawberry Crest (FL)) registered a double-double with 20 points and 15 boards. Forward Jordan Roberson (so. Union, NJ/Union) recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds and center/forward Jarrett Bogus (jr. Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) added 15 points and seven boards. Guard Jovanni Chatham (jr. Brooklyn, NY/Christ the King) chipped in with eight points and guard/forward Justin Porter (fr. Ewing, NJ/Ewing) brought down six rebounds.
 
In the first half, Wilson drilled a three and the Profs had a 12-7 lead (13:17). Bogus scored five straight points and Montclair State went ahead 21-19 (7:08). Nick DePersia's layup (6:55) tied the score at 21. The score was even again at 29 apiece after Bogus' jumper and foul shot at 1:57. Curry sank a three-pointer (1:37), Chatham made a layup (1:22) and Curry converted two baskets at the line (0:17) and Rowan had a 34-31 edge at the break.
 
Rob DePersia hit a triple at the 16:04 mark of the second stanza to increase the Profs' advantage to seven (42-35). Curry had a layup to make the score 50-41 (11:41). The Red Hawks tallied the next eight points to cut the deficit to one (50-49) with 9:48 remaining. Channer had five points and guard Daniel Ramis (sr. Miami, FL/Westwood Christian) added a three.
 
Rowan responded with a 10-3 rally to go up by eight (60-52) with 7:36 left. Wilson produced five points, forward Gary Carthan (sr. Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Reg.) sank a three and Curry made two free throws. Rob DePersia had a layup (5:04) and hit a shot from beyond the arc (3:48) then Nick DePersia made a jump shot (3:09) for Rowan's largest lead of the game (71-56). The closest that Montclair State came after that was nine (76-67) following Channer's three (0:37).