MBB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[njlincolnlion]

Lefty & Knightstalker:

The Gothic Knights have me scared with the current winning streak.  Two years ago, as an independent, the Gothic Knights defeat of Lincoln kept the Lions out of the NCAA's.  It looks like Lincoln's thread of hope of making it back to the NCAA's this year requires a win over the Gothic Knights in Jersey City.  The road has been very unkind to the Lions this year, and hopefully, Coach Yuille has stressed the importance of this game to the team.  I trying to make it to the game (if my wife will let me since it will be on Valentine's Day)  .

[Knightstalker]

Don't know if I will be able to make it, it is VD and wednesday nights is band rehearsal.

[Knightstalker]

NJCU beats Montclair 90-66 in Jersey City.  The Knights starters barely played in the second half and barely broke a sweat.  Montclair may be really good next year or in two years, almost the entire roster is freshmen and sophomores.

[Truck]

Ramapo defeated WPU today by 3 points, just as their prior meeting last month.

WPU jumped out to a lead (as much as 11) and led throughout the first half with Ramapo getting it to single digits. In the second half, Ramapo outscored WPU 33-25, tying the game with 2 min left. Alston hit big free throws down the stretch and led the team with 19 pts, coming off the bench but playing 25 minutes.

[Lefty]

Lefty & Knightstalker:

The Gothic Knights have me scared with the current winning streak.  Two years ago, as an independent, the Gothic Knights defeat of Lincoln kept the Lions out of the NCAA's.  It looks like Lincoln's thread of hope of making it back to the NCAA's this year requires a win over the Gothic Knights in Jersey City.  The road has been very unkind to the Lions this year, and hopefully, Coach Yuille has stressed the importance of this game to the team.  I trying to make it to the game (if my wife will let me since it will be on Valentine's Day)  .

LincolnLion,

This should be a very interesting game.  NJCU is playing outstanding ball and I am sure Coach Brown wants the win against Lincoln, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see the starters playing limited (25 to 30) minutes in this game.  Yes, NJCU needs the win but Saturday's game against Ramapo is HUGE!  A win on Saturday would get NJCU a first round bye and home court advantage throughout the NJAC playoffs. 

As you know I was at the first meeting of these two teams.  I believe my comments were pretty much right on the money with NJCU.  Both starting lineups are quite even but Lincoln has a much deeper bench.  In the past 10 games Coach Brown has played the starters much more then in the past.  For the first time in Coach Brown's 24 year tenure at NJCU a player (Alex Mirabel) played all 40 minutes of a game.  The next game Dana John played all 40 minutes.  That tells me that Coach Brown has a thin bench and he knows it.  I just don't see Coach Brown playing the starters that long against Lincoln with so much on the line in Saturday's game.

Unfortunately I cannot make the three hour trip for the game.  It was either this week for Lincoln or next week to see the playoffs.....I chose next week.
   

[njlincolnlion]

Lefty:

I see what you mean, with NJCU.  Lincoln has one big game this week with a possible playoff berth, while NJCU has two huge games with playoff implications.  If you scenario is correct, limiting the Gothic Knights starters should help the Lions cause.

[Lefty]

FYI, the NJCU/Lincoln game has been postponed until Thursday.  Here is the press release:


NJCU-LINCOLN BASKETBALL DOUBLEHEADER POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY

FIVE SENIORS TO BE HONORED BETWEEN GAMES

JERSEY CITY, NJ...The Wednesday, February 14 doubleheader of women's and men's basketball between New Jersey City University and Lincoln University (PA) has been postponed until Thursday, February 15 due to a winter storm forecasted to strike the region.

When the doubleheader is played, the women's tip-off time is slated for 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m. Both games will be played at NJCU's John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

Between games of the doubleheader, NJCU will honor its five basketball seniors—three men and two women—who will be playing their final regular season home game; ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson), ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) and JAMAL SLAPPY (Paterson, NJ/Paterson Catholic) for the men and LATRESE McNAIR (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) and BERNICE AMADEO (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) for the women.

NJCU will also offer free admission to the doubleheader for students who attend the games as part of a school or youth organization. For more information on the National Girls and Women in Sports Day initiative, contact Associate Director of Athletics ALICE DeFAZIO at 201/200-2243.

[Truck]

Ramapo vs. MSU also postponed one day to Thursday Feb. 15 giving MSU one extra day to prepare against getting run out of The Bill.

[Knightstalker]

MSU seemed to just be going through the motions on Saturday night.  A lot of young players though, they have potential.

[Lefty]

In the NJAC tonight

Montclair St upsets Ramapo 71-68
TCNJ defeats RU Camden 70-56

Non-Conference

NJCU blows out Lincoln 90-66

[gordonmann]

Actually that NJCU-Lincoln score is wrong.

The final was...

Lincoln 79
NJCU 76

The score you're quoting is shown on NJCU's live stats, but it's the final from the Gothic Knights' win over Montclair State.

[Lefty]

I was just coming back to update that score.  The NJAC website showed NJCU beating Lincoln 90-66.....and they just changed it.  How that would happen I have no idea.

Sorry for the wrong score....my bad.

[njlincolnlion]

Whew!!!!!!!!  Looks like Lincoln eeked out a win at NJCU.  I really wanted to go to the game, but with the weather postphonement, and a prior commitment, it was impossible.  Gordon Mann/Lefty/Ira, did NJCU play the staters the entire game?  the halftime score showed the Gothic Knights putting it to the Lions.

NJCU was on a roll, and to beat the Gothic Knights twice in one season was great for Lincoln.

Lefty, Knightstalker, and Ira, good luck with your upcoming game with Ramapo for the NJAC title.

[Knightstalker]

I just got back from the NJCU Lincoln game.  I was not that impressed with Lincoln, they have some great athletes but they are not very disciplined.  The biggest difference was Lincolns depth, they had 19 or 20 players on their roster to NJCU's 11 or 12.

For the first time this season I can actually say the officiating truly sucked.  They were very inconsistant with the whistle.  They let both teams play physically for the first half.  They tightened up the calls for about the first three or four minutes of the second half.  They then loosened up again until about two minutes left in the game when they got really tight with the whistle.

NJCU had Abe, Dana and Tuck all sitting on the bench for a big stretch of the second half with foul trouble and Abe and Dana fouled out with a few minutes left.  Abe fouling out was the biggest blow to NJCU, without Abe in there the Knights couldn't feed the low post, Lincoln couldn't stop Abe, they kept fouling him.

With about 30 seconds left there was a scramble for a loose ball, NJCU got possesion and Alex Mirabel turned and looked right at the ref and called for a timeout.  The ref looked right at Alex and ignored him.  That blown TO by the ref gave Lincoln the ball and it resulted in the go ahead shot.

In my opinion Lincoln woud be a .500 NJAC team, they need to play more under control.

The ultimate is sportsmanship though came from the Lincoln Cheerleaders.  During the womens game, the Lincoln cheerleaders were talking trash to the NJCU womens team.  In the second half of the mens game they were asked by the refs to leave the end of the court.  The visitors basket at NJCU in the second half is on the end of the court that has a much smaller out or bounds area and they were interfering with the players.

Of course the NJCU fans started to chant na na na na, heey goodbye.  The Lincoln cheerleaders left the court, went to the locker room and then came back into the gym and while walking along the stands decided to give the finger to the NJCU womens team and fans.

I defended Lincoln after they blew out that team earlier this season but after seeing how they act and the lack of sportsmanship I think I regret it.  I think maybe they need to consider who they want coaching their players.  I know that Coach Brown would not tolerate how some of the Lincoln players acted on the court when whistled for a foul and he would have had words with the cheerleading coach for their behaviour.

[Knightstalker]

NJCU swingman Dana John is in this weeks SI Faces in the Crowd