Box Score MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Montclair State University men's basketball team won 77-73 in overtime against Rowan University in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship Tournament on Saturday.
The Red Hawks (18-8) are the fourth seed and they will travel to the top seed Ramapo College (19-6) on Wednesday, Feb. 21 for a 7 p.m. semifinal game. The Profs (13-13) were seeded fifth in the conference tournament.
With 2:18 left in regulation, guard Myles Mitchell-White (fr. Trenton, NJ/Lawrence) made a foul shot and Montclair State led 61-56. Forward
Ramon Wright (jr. East Orange, NJ/Irvington) had a layup (1:33) and Rowan trailed by three (61-58). Forward
TJ Booth (sr. Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) tied the score at 61 (0:56) with a basketball and free throw. Forward Jordan Roberson (jr. Union, NJ/Union) followed with two points at the line (0:28) and Mitchell-White had one foul shot (0:11) to lead by three (64-61). Guard
Nick DePersia (jr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) knotted the score with a three-pointer at the five second mark for overtime.
The score was tied three times in the extra period. The last one was at 72 when Wright made the first of two foul shots at the 57 second mark and his second gave Rowan a one-point lead (73-72). Guard Jovanni Chatham (sr. Brooklyn, NY/Christ the King) hit a three (0:39) and he had a free throw (0:26) to lead 76-73. Guard/forward Irving Callendar IIV (fr. Somerset, NJ/Franklin) ended the scoring by sinking the first of two free throws with seven seconds on the clock.
Mitchell-White ended the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Chatham collected 15 points and nine boards. Forward Jarrett Bogus (sr. Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Wright scored a game-high 21 points and he had seven rebounds and five blocks. Booth produced 19 points and seven boards. DePersia chipped in with 14 points, which included four three-pointers.
The Red Hawks were ahead 38-29 after the first half. In the final period, they had a 12-point advantage (57-45) after Mitchell-White's jumper with 6:26 remaining. The Profs followed with a 9-1 run to pull within four (58-54) at 4:52. Wright scored five points while Booth and DePersia each had two. Chatham (4:08) and Wright (2:47) sank two foul shots apiece and the score was 60-56. Rowan then sent the contest into overtime with an 8-4 surge.
