March 2, 2005
Box Score
Garden City, N.Y. -
The #8 seed New Haven Chargers held the top seeded Panthers to just 30 percent shooting and 41 points, Adelphi's lowest output since a 48-40 February 10 loss to FDU-Teaneck in 1973. With the loss Adelphi falls to 22-6 overall, while New Haven improves to 15-13 and advances to the semi-finals of the NYCAC tournament to face the winner of the #5 NYIT and #4 Queens game on Saturday, March 5.
The Panthers got five points from James Samuels (Uniondale, N.Y) in the opening seven minutes of the game to build a 12-6 lead. From there the Adelphi offense sputtered and did not register another point until there was 4:20 left in the half. During the Panther drought New Haven reeled off eight unanswered points to take a 14-12 lead.
Adelphi knotted the contest at 14 apiece on a jumper by Samuels with 4:20 to play but the Chargers responded with an 11-0 run to open up a 25-14 lead with 1:15 to play. Eric Martin (Laurelton, N.Y.) hit two free throws with :24 second on the clock to cut the margin to nine, but John Sullivan (Bridgeport, CT) hit a fade away jumper as the buzzer sounded to put New Haven back up 11 heading into the half.
The Panthers turned up the defensive pressure in the opening eight minutes of the second half to claw their way back into the game, outscoring New Haven 13-4. Kimani Blaize (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a three-pointer at the 12:06 mark to pull the Panthers to within two, 31-29.
But New Haven had an answer, Jamaal Brooks (Boston, MA) answered with a three-pointer of his own to put the Chargers back ahead five, 34-29. Adelphi cut New Haven's lead to three on three occasions but could get no closer as the Chargers hit on 12-15 free throws over the last 6:35 of the game to secure a 56-41 win.
Blaize led the Panthers with 11 points and six rebounds, while Samuels chipped in 10 points.
Sullivan led all scorers with a game-high 22 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Brooks was the only other Charger in double-figures with 16 points and five rebounds.
