NJAC Tournament final:
#10 Stockton 62, Rutgers-Newark 54

Kai Massaquoi

Boxscore
No. 10 Richard Stockton (25-2) won its second straight New Jersey Athletic Conference championship by defeating Rutgers-Newark (16-12) 62-54. Kai Massaquoi (Lawnside/Haddon Hts.) led all scorers with 21 points and the sophomore also hit 9-of-11 shots from the foul line. Omar Smith (Newark/Central) added 15 points and collected a team-high eight rebounds. The victory marked the Ospreys’ sixth NJAC title and earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The game was back-and-forth during the entire first half, with neither team holding a lead larger than five. Massaquoi scored 12 of Stockton’s first 19 points as the Ospreys jumped on top 19-15. Two free throws by Massaquoi later produced the biggest margin of the period at 25-20, but the half fittingly ended in a 31-31 tie that was the seventh deadlock of the first 20 minutes.

Stockton maintained a slim lead throughout the second half and expanded its cushion to five points on three occasions. A bucket by Massaquoi gave the Ospreys a 49-44 lead with 6:30 remaining. Michael Farrow (Whiteside/Middle Twp.) sank a layup for a 51-46 advantage with 3:45 to play and Farrow later hit two free throws that put Stockton on top 53-48 with 3:45 on the clock.

The Ospreys finally created some breathing room in the final minute when an intentional foul followed by a technical foul gave Stockton four consecutive free throws. Massaquoi swished two and Santini Lancioni (Runnemede/Paul VI) hit one to give Stockton a 57-50 lead. The Ospreys then went 5-6 at the line in the final 24 seconds to clinch their 13th straight win and second consecutive NJAC title, 62-54.