Box Score
JERSEY CITY, NJ – The New Jersey City University men’s basketball team won 75-72 over Rowan University in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Saturday.
With 1:19 remaining, guard Da’Shon Barrino (sr. Newark, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) made a layup that tied the score at 70 for the Gothic Knights. Guard James Livingston (sr. Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) followed with a three-pointer at the 18 second mark for a three-point advantage (73-70). Prof guard Akeem Johnson (jr. Gouldtown, NJ/Bridgeton) cut the deficit to one (73-72) with a jumper (0:10). Livingston nailed two foul shots with nine seconds remaining. Rowan’s three-point attempt to tie the game with four seconds left failed.
NJCU (17-9) will travel to the South Division’s number one seed Kean University (18-7) on Tuesday, February 22 for a 7 p.m. semifinal game. In the other first round game, Montclair State University (19-7), the third seed in the North Division, edged the South Division’s second seed Richard Stockton College, 61-60. The top seed in the North Division Ramapo College (20-5) hosts Montclair State in the semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The two semifinal winners advance to the NJAC championship on Friday, February 25 at the highest seed.
Rowan was the third seed from the South Division while New Jersey City was the second seed in the North Division. The Profs end the year with a 12-14 record.
Livingston and Barrino each contributed with 12 points. Guard Keith Williams (jr. Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) and forward Taquan Abdullah (jr. Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) collected 12 points apiece. Forward Walik Albright (so. Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) totaled six rebounds. Barrino and Williams both had four assists.
For the Profs, guard Sean Hughes (sr. Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro) scored a game-high 24 points. Guard Roger Loatman (jr. Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) added 18 points. Forward Tom Paterno (jr. Brick, NJ/Brick Twp.) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds which were career-highs. Guard Jason Rosenberg (fr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) registered seven points and six assists.
The score was tied at 33 to start the second half. The Gothic Knights were ahead by four points (44-40) at 16:45 after a basket by Albright. Paterno had two free throws (16:38) and guard Kendall White (so. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) followed with a layup (16:21) that tied the game (44-44).
Paterno’s layup at 14:53 gave the Profs the lead (46-44). With 2:58 remaining, Rosenberg put Rowan up by seven (70-63) with two fouls shots. NJCU answered with two free throws by Livingston (2:10) and a three-pointer by Abdullah (1:34). Abdullah led the Gothic Knights in the second period with 12 points while Hughes scored 17 for the Profs.
In the first stanza, Livingston’s three made the score 17-14 at 13:14. NJCU had a six point advantage (30-24) after a layup by Albright with 5:21 remaining. The Profs came back with a 9-3 run that tied the score (33-33) at the intermission. Loatman scored 13 first half points.
