COUGARS WIN OVERTIME THRILLER AT FRANKLIN
PIERCE, 66-63
12-21-06
box score
 RINDGE,
N.H. – Senior guard Jean Georges (Vauxhal, NJ/Spotswood)
scored all five of his team’s points in overtime as the Caldwell
College men's basketball team defeated Franklin Pierce College,
66-63 Thursday evening in a non-conference game in the Franklin
Pierce Fieldhouse. The Cougars, who trailed by as many as 17 in the
first half and were down by 12 at halftime, are now 7-4 on the
season, while the Ravens drop to 6-5.
Georges scored a lay-up on Caldwell’s first possession in the extra
period to give the Cougars their first lead of the game, 63-61.
After Sean Mayo made 1-of-2 at the line for the Ravens, each team
went scoreless on their next four possessions. With just under a
minute remaining in overtime, Georges missed a three-pointer, but
junior forward B.J. Suchy (Ronkonkoma, NY/Our Savior) grabbed
the offensive rebound. Georges wouldn’t miss his second try, nailing
a three that made it 66-62 with 35 seconds left. Another free throw
by Mayo pulled the Ravens to within three, 66-63 with 18 seconds on
the clock. But the Cougar defense held, as Franklin Pierce missed
two three-point attempts down the stretch, giving Caldwell the win
in the first meeting between the two schools.
Franklin Pierce got two threes from Mayo en route to scoring the
first eight points of the game. But Caldwell battled back and pulled
to within 18-15 at the 10:29 mark on back-to-back baskets by junior
guard Michael Wise (Whitesboro, NJ/Middletownship). The
Ravens proceeded to score the next 12 points to take a 30-15 lead
with eight minutes left in the half. The lead would grow to 37-20
before the Cougars got a basket from junior guard Adam Sabree
(Detroit, MI/Renaissance) and a three-pointer from freshman forward
Sam Cricelli (Brighton, England/Culham) that made the score
37-25 Franklin Pierce at the break.
 The
Cougars continued to build momentum into the second half, using a
13-2 run to trail by one, 39-38 with 14 minutes to play. After a
three-pointer by Wise kept the Cougars down by just one, 48-47, the
Ravens went on an 11-5 spree to take a 59-52 advantage at the 4:07
mark. Suchy tallied the next two baskets, followed by a three by
Georges that tied the game at 59-59 with two minutes on the clock.
Mayo put Franklin Pierce back up by two with a basket with 54
seconds left, only to have Cricelli score on the next possession to
tie the game at 61-61. FPC’s Darryl Minnifield’s driving lay-up
bounced off the rim, sending the game into overtime.
Georges led all scorers with 17 points to go with a team-best eight
rebounds. Cricelli finished with 15 points, Suchy had 12, and Sabree,
left, tallied 11 points, seven rebounds, a career-high five assists
and three steals. But it was Caldwell’s stingy defense down the
stretch that made the difference, holding the Ravens without a field
goal for their final 10 possessions of the game. Mayo led Franklin
Pierce with 16 points, with Nazim Senaldi tallying 10 points and 11
boards in the loss.
Caldwell’s next game is Jan. 9, when they play at Holy Family
University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match-up.
Back to Men's Basketball page
|
