COUGARS HANG ON TO DEFEAT LIGHTNING, 53-52
2-24-07
box score
 CALDWELL,
N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team held off a late
charge by Goldey-Beacom College to defeat the Lightning 53-52 in the
regular-season finale Saturday night in the George R. Newman Center.
The victory clinches the fifth seed in next week's Central Atlantic
Collegiate Conference Tournament for the Cougars (16-11 overall,
11-9 CACC) and sets up a rematch with Goldey-Beacom (14-12 overall,
11-9 CACC), who earns the fourth seed by virtue of a tie-breaker
with Caldwell. Senior guard Jean Georges (Vauxhal,
NJ/Spotswood), playing in his final game in the Newman Center,
scored a game-high 18 points.
The Cougars held a slim lead for most of the first half until six
straight points, including four from Leo Jackson, put the Lightning
up 25-24 with 1.34 left in the half. A free throw by freshman guard
John Reed (Wall, NJ/Wall) allowed Caldwell to tie the game at
25-25 at the half.
The game remained close after halftime, with seven lead changes in
the first seven minutes. With the Lightning ahead 35-33, the Cougars
tallied 12 straight points, including back-to-back three-pointers
from Georges and sophomore guard Carl Augustin (Stony Point,
NY/Don Bosco Prep), to give Caldwell its largest lead of the game at
45-35 with 11:46 to play. Goldey-Beacon quickly cut the lead to
46-43 after a three from DJ Stanberry capped an 8-1 spree.
A three-point play from freshman forward Sam Cricelli
(Brighton, England/Culham) helped Caldwell build the lead back up to
eight, 53-45 with just over four minutes on the clock. But the
Lightning took advantage of four Caldwell turnovers to pull to
within one, 53-52 on a lay-up by Adrian Miles with 37 seconds
remaining. On the next possession, the Cougars turned the ball over
again, giving Goldey-Beacom possession with 23 seconds left. But
Miles missed a lay-up, and the ball went out of bounds off of a
Goldey-Beacom player with just 0.7 on the clock. Caldwell
successfully inbounded the ball as time expired to secure its second
win in a row. The Cougars won despite shooting just 42.9 percent
(6-of-14) from the free throw line and recording 22 turnovers to 12
for GBC.
Georges, who was honored before the game, went 7-of-12 from the
field with three three-pointers in his final home game wearing the
Scarlet, White and Gold. He now has scored 1,381 career points to
rank fifth all-time at Caldwell. Cricelli shot 6-of-9 from the floor
to finish with 14 points and a team-best six rebounds, while junior
guard Hans Stelzer (Selden, NY/Our Savior) dished out six
assists. Miles scored 17 points to pace the Lightning.
The Cougars and Lightning do it all over again on Tuesday, Feb. 27
in Wilmington, Del., in the first round of the CACC Tournament. Game
time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Senior guard Jean Georges with Sister Michel Rodgers, his brother
Waguimy Georges and coach Mark Corino
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