Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College men's basketball team placed host to the Lions of The College of New Jersey tonight at the Bradley Center in Mahwah in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up. Ramapo fell short by one point, 55-54 falling to 8-3 overall, 3-3 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference while TCNJ improves to 8-2 overall, 4-2 in the conference.
In the first 20 minutes, Ramapo outscored TCNJ 26-15 shooting 11-30 from the field (37%) over TCNJ's 6-23 (26%). TCNJ opened the night scoring the game's first points with a good jumper at 18:15 by Scott Findlay (Long Valley, NJ). Ramapo's junior guard ANTOINE PRYOR (Elizabeth, NJ) answered back hitting a three just 11 seconds later and the Lions never saw a lead for the rest of the half. PRYOR led Ramapo hitting a perfect 4-4 from three point range sinking 12 points in the first 20 minutes. The team saw their largest lead at the half, 11 (26-15).
The Lions held the Roadrunners to just two points in the first five minutes of the second half until sophomore MIKE MALKO (Hillsborough, NJ) grabbed a steal and followed with a fast break basket to push ahead by eight (30-22). The Lions answered with back-to-back baskets after a Jason Stallworth (TomsRiver, NJ) steal to close the gap to 30-26. With 5:45 left to play, the Lions came within one when Mark Aziz (Hackettstown, NJ) hit a lay-up, 43-42 and Stallworth tied the game at 45 with an and-one play at the 4:30 minute mark. FINDLAY got fouled with 50 seconds to play hitting two free throws to tie the game once again, 51-51. The Roadrunners pushed down the court and Corey Gilmore (South Plainfield, NJ) stripped the ball from PRYOR sinking a lay up to take the lead with 17 seconds on the clock. After a Ramapo timeout, the Roadrunners missed a three-pointer and caused a turnover giving the Lions possession with six seconds to play. Ramapo was forced to foul and Stallworth hit both grabbing a 55-51 lead. Junior JOHN WOJCIK (Sayreville, NJ) hit a three to close the gap but with just 00.3 of a second to play, the Lions walked away from the Bradley Center with a one point 55-54 victory over the Roadrunners.
FINDLAY finished the game with 28 hitting 12-22 from the field while pulling down ten boards for the double-double. STALLWORTH netted ten of his own while dishing out four assists and grabbing three steals in the win. The Lions stepped up in the last 20 minutes hitting 15-26 (57%) for a game 43%.
For the Roadrunners, PRYOR led the way with 14 points and AHMAD MOSBY (Jersey City, NJ) posted nine of his own. MALKO netted eight points and TIMOTHY WESLEY (Jersey City, NJ) added eight of his own in the loss.
The Roadrunners return to action on Monday, January 9th when they travel to Mitchell College while the Lions travel to Washington and Jefferson on Friday, January 6th to face Wooster.
