Red Hawks Break Away From 54-54 Tie With 35-20 Surge Over Final 12:17 For Win
HACKETTSTOWN, NJ–On a cold and blustery day with the snow flurries flying in Northwestern New Jersey, GMC Hoops took the long drive up County Road 517 through Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren counties to take in a non-conference college hoops game between two Division III schools, Centenary and Montclair State Both teams have been covered by this site already this season with the Cyclones defeating TCNJ at Packer Hall on November 17th and the Red Hawks defeating Berkeley College at the friendly confines of Panzer Hall on November 23rd. See the video highlights from the Red Hawks win.
Montclair State University comes into this game with a 2-1 record following its win over Berkeley this past Tuesday night while Centenary College enters this contest with a 2-2 record following a 77-65 defeat at the hands of Scranton University from the Landmark Conference. Both teams have former standouts from the GMC with Centenary having Larry Lenahan (South Amboy) and Timmy Brix (Monroe) while Montclair has Rodney Freeney (Piscataway) and Sean Ogunnoiki (Edison). Both Freeney and Ogunnoiki played JUCO ball at Middlesex County College. Freeney is the first and currently only player to score 1,000 points at MCC. He is also the all time leading scorer at Piscataway.
The Cyclones of Centenary College are from the Colonial States Athletic Conference, which covers the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. It was formerly known as the Pennsyvlania Athletic Conference. The Red Hawks of Montclair State University compete in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, which has other notable teams as Kean, Rowan, Ramapo, Rutgers-Newark, Rutgers-Camden, TCNJ, NJCU, and Stockton State. Many former GMC players have played, or are now playing in the NJAC. This is the fifth college game covered already this season by GMC Hoops. The visit to Centenary is the second ever by the site with the last one being in November 2007 for a game against Berkeley.
Other area players that competed in this game include: Mike Price (Plainfield), Andrew August (Bridgewater), Tyrone Prewitt (Trenton), Sean Young (Scotch Plains), and Tom Bonard (Westfield) for Montclair while Will Atkinson (Raritan), Rob Urie (Toms River East), and Ludner Innocent (Asbury Park) also play for Centenary. In the Red Hawks win over Berkeley on Tuesday night, August (9 of 12 FG and 5 of 9 FTs) and Prewitt (6 of 7 FG and 3 of 4 FTs) combined for 38 of the team’s 65 points while together shooting 15 of 19 from the floor and 8 of 13 from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, in the victory over TCNJ, the trio of Atkinson, Urie, and Innocent led the way for the Cyclones with 46 of the team’s 76 points in the five point back and forth victory over the Lions.
For the first 27:43 of this contest, the two teams went back and forth. While not necessarily trading leads like Centenary and TCNJ did, there was a lot of swings in momentum. There were actually 11 lead changes and 8 ties in the contest according to the statistics from the Centenary College athletics web site. The lead was no bigger than nine points on either side. In the end though, Montclair’s size down low, and the play of its guards, was the difference. Over the final 12:17 of the contest, Freeney and Prewitt scored 10 points each to spearhead a 35-20 surge to provide the Red Hawks with a 89-74 victory.
The trio of Freeney (27 points), August (21 points), A.J. Larkin (16 points), and Prewitt (12 points) accounted for 85 percent of the Red Hawk offense in the victory. Freeney came out firing in this one by making 10 of 18 shots from the floor and 7 of 8 from the line for the game high. The Piscataway native also had two rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 40 minutes of play. Meanwhile, August, who led the team in scoring coming into this game with a 17.3 points per game average, made 5 of 9 shots from the floor and was much improved at the foul line with an 11 of 13 showing. The Bridgewater H.S. alumn also collected 12 rebounds for a double-double while handing out 3 assists, and blocking 2 shots. Prewitt made all four of his shot attempts from the floor, and was 4 of 7 from the line for his dozen while also collecting five rebounds, an assist, and an emphatic block late in the contest. Larkin also contributed by making 5 of 9 shots including both his three point attempts, and netting all four of his foul shots.
Corey Kearney led Centenary in a losing cause with a team high 19 points on 6 of 14 shooting from the floor including 2 of 4 from beyond the arc, and 5 of 7 from the foul line. Kearney also picked up 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and an assist. Urie chipped in with 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting including 2 of 5 from long distance, and 2 of 2 from the foul line. The Ortley Beach native also grabbed four rebounds while handing out eight assists without committing a turnover. Jakub Halicki chipped in with 12 points on 5 of 11 shooting and 2 of 4 from the line while also collecting 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Lenahan was the other GMC standout that got on the board as he made both his shot attempts for 4 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, and a turnover in 8 minutes of action.
For the game, Montclair State was 29 of 56 from the floor for 52 percent while Centenary was 28 of 68 for 41 percent. The Cyclones managed to stay in the game as long as they did by outscoring the Red Hawks from three point range (24-9). Montclair made up for that by netting 28 of 34 for 82 percent from the line while Centenary College was just 10 of 16 for 63 percent. The visitors from the NJAC dominated the boards with a 43-29 overall advantage including a 13-12 edge on the offensive glass. The Red Hawks took advantage of its second chances by outscoring the Cyclones by a 19-7 margin in second chance points. Centenary had a 7-12 edge in turnovers, and scored more points off of miscues (15-12). Montclair also had more assists (19-16), blocks (4-0), and fewer fouls (18-21). Centenary College had more steals (8-2). Despite its size disadvantage, the Cyclones outscored the Red Hawks by a 38-30 margin in points in the paint. MSU had more points off the bench (19-9). CC had more fast break points (9-4). Centenary shot 38 percent from three point range (8 of 21) while Montclair was only 3 of 9 for 33 percent. The Red Hawks outscored the Cyclones by a 53-37 margin in the second half.
The game started with Urie driving in for a floater, and a 2-0 lead at the 19:42 mark. Larkin responded with a jumper from the right side to even things up at 2-2 at the 19:23 mark. Freeney then got on the board with a jumper at the 18:59 mark for a 4-2 Red Hawks lead before Urie drove and spun his way for a shot off the glass at the 18:41 mark for a 4-4 tie. Freeney sank another jumper again from the right side with 18:23 to go in the half, and Young added a short jumper in the paint at the 17:45 mark for an 8-4 lead. Jakub Halicki, who played a key role in Centenary’s win at TCNJ, got on the board with a score at the 17:23 mark before August netted two foul shots with 16:15 to go in the half for a 10-6 lead. Centenary got a conventional three point play to draw within 10-9.
After August scored on a follow for a 12-9 lead, the Cyclones scored the next five points including a basket by Halicki, and a three pointer by Atkinson at the 14:24 mark for a 14-12 edge. The Red Hawks replied with two foul shots by Freeney and a bucket by Young for a 16-14 lead before Lenahan got a basket to even the score at 16-16 with 12:46 to go in the first half as Montclair called for time. Freeney then put the Red Hawks back on top with a floater along the right baseline for an 18-16 lead at the 12:08 mark. Innocent then made one of two from the line for an 18-17 Montclair lead with 12:01 to go in the half. Prewitt then added a pair of free throws for a 20-17 lead, and Larkin sank a three pointer for a 23-17 advantage with 10:10 to go in the half. Urie then sank a three from the left wing to close the gap to 23-20 with 9:56 left in the first half as Montclair again called for time.
Over the next 1:26, the Red Hawks reasserted their control with the next four points including a jumper by Freeney from the left side at the 9:05 mark, and an offensive rebound and jumper by Young at the 8:30 mark for a 27-20 lead. Following an August score down low, Ludner Innocent then put an end to the 6-0 Red Hawk run with a score at the 7:30 mark for a 29-22 MSU lead. Innocent then added another basket to close the gap to five at 29-24 before Larkin replied with a score for a 31-24 lead at the 6:40 mark. After Innocent missed the front end of a one and one at the 6:21 mark, August stepped to the line with 5:56 to go in the half, and sank a pair of free throws for a 33-24 advantage. The size and athletic ability of MSU was making things difficult for the Cyclones, but they persisted.
With 5:07 to go in the first half, Halicki was fouled after a rebound at the 5:07 mark, and sank both ends of the bonus to creep Centenary within seven at 33-26. August then made one of two from the line at the 4:50 mark for a 34-26 edge. On Centenary’s next possession, Urie drove to the basket, and drew a foul from Tom Bonard that produced two free throws for a 34-28 MSU lead at the 4:35 mark. Corey Kearney then stepped to the line at the 4:07 mark to make one of two to draw the Cyclones even closer at 34-29. Warren Murphy then closed the gap even more with a trey from the left wing at the 3:21 mark for a 34-32 Red Hawk lead. The Cyclones then fought to get a stop on the defensive end, and got the ball to Kearney for a three from the right wing and a 35-34 lead at the 2:51 mark.
Again, Centenary got a stop on Montclair in the defensive end, and Murphy made a nice pass to Halicki for a layup underneath on the left low block for a 37-34 lead as MSU called for a 30 second timeout at the 2:13 mark. Following the timeout, the Cyclones got a turnover, and had a chance to go up by more, but Urie’s three from the left side was off the mark. Prewitt then came up empty in two attempts from the foul line with less than a minute and a half to go before halftime. Centenary College had another chance to go up even further again, but Montclair forced a shot clock violation with under a minute to go before August scored inside with 26.7 seconds to go in the half to give the Cyclones a tenuous one point lead at 37-36. Halicki then missed two charity shots before the half as Centenary still led by one at the break.
Montclair had been on a 17-8 run over a span of 6:12 before Centenary responded with a 13-3 tear over the last 5:56 for the lead. The biggest lead of the first half was nine by MSU. Centenary’s largest was only three. There were a total of four ties and four lead changes in the first 20 minutes of this entertaining contest. The second half started out with Freeney scoring on a short jumper off a curl for a 38-37 lead at the 19:52 mark. Atkinson then sank a three pointer from the top of the key for a 40-38 lead at the 19:23 mark. August then got a rebound off a missed three by Freeney, and put it back in for a 40-40 tie at the 18:58 mark of the second half. The Red Hawks then went in front as Price snuck in for an offensive rebound while several Centenary players watched, and he was then rewarded for his hustle with a three pointer from the right wing for a 43-40 score at the 17:49 mark.
After Freeney missed a three from the left wing with 17:09 to go in the first half, Corey Kearney drew a foul, and made two from the foul line for a 43-42 MSU lead at the 16:58 mark. Good ball movement by the Red Hawks led to a Freeney jumper from the left wing off a kick out by Charles Miller for a 45-42 lead at the 16:14 mark. Kearney scored for the Cyclones to pull them within one again at the 15:46 mark before August stepped to the line at the 14:56 mark, and netted two free throws for a 47-44 lead. Kearney then responded with a three from the right corner to tie things up at 47-47 with 14:33 to go in the game. With 14:17 left, Freeney was fouled by Kearney, and made one of two for a 48-47 edge. The Red Hawks were able to maintain possession, but couldn’t cash in. Urie then took a skip pass from Kearney on the right wing for a three pointer for a 50-48 advantage as Montclair called for time with 13:45 remaining.
Over the next 2:25, the Red Hawks rallied with a 12-4 tear that included a traditional three point play by August, a three pointer by Larkin, a basket by Freeney, and a conventional three point play by Prewitt for a 60-54 lead with 11:20 to go in the game. Prewitt then drew an offensive foul on Kearney at the 10:04 mark. Freeney took advantage of that turnover with nice follow through on a jumper at the left elbow for a 62-54 lead with 9:51 to go before Lenahan got on the board again with a layup off an assist by Urie for a 62-56 score. Following a Montclair timeout with 9:23 remaining, Prewitt got a score, and then made one of two from the line for a 65-56 lead with 8:14 to go. Halicki then got a bucket with 7:59 to go for a 65-58 Red Hawk advantage.
Prewitt continued to play well in the second half as he took a nice dish from Bonard for a layup, and a 67-58 lead with seven minutes to go. Innocent responded quickly by coming right down the floor for a layup at the 6:51 mark to tighten things up a bit at 67-60. The Red Hawks then scored four of the next six points as Prewitt and Freeney got baskets while Urie scored for the Cyclones for a 71-62 MSU lead with six minutes to play. Montclair then scored the next four points including two free throws by August at the 4:30 mark before the Cyclones tried to show some signs of life with baskets by Kearney and Innocent to highlight a 4-2 run that trimmed the deficit to 77-66 as Centenary called for time at the 3:37 mark. The Cyclones then had a chance to get even closer, but after a steal, Andrew Cobian missed a layin attempt off the drive.
Montclair got the ball back, and Freeney drew a foul to make both free throws with three and a half minutes to play for a 79-66 lead. Kearney quickly got a layup as he was fouled for a traditional three point play at the 3:21 mark for a 79-69 score, but Larkin netted two free throws to put the Red Hawks up by a dozen again at 81-69. Centenary wouldn’t quit though as the Cyclones got the ball to Atkinson, who sank a triple at the 2:54 mark to bring his team within nine as it called for time. The home team then got a stop at the defensive end, and Urie pushed the ball up the court, and passed to Andy Charles for a layup attempt that didn’t go. Freeney then got the ball eventually, and drew a foul for two free throws and an 83-72 lead with two and a half minutes left. Freeney then wrapped up the win with another score at the 1:45 mark for an 85-72 lead.
The Red Hawks went on from there to win by the final of 89-74. MSU closed the game with a 35-20 surge over the last 12:17. Freeney scored 10 of those points during the stretch while Prewitt also added 10. With the victory, Montclair improves to 3-1 on the season while Centenary falls to 2-3. GMC Hoops will be back on the college basketball beat this coming Wednesday night with a game at Kean between the Cougars and the Lions of TCNJ. See a summary of Saturday’s game courtesy of the Centenary College men’s basketball web page.