NCAA Championship:
#2 Washington U. 61, #6 Stockton 52

Santini Lancioni

Michael Farrow

Boxscore
Sixth-ranked Richard Stockton’s (30-3) magical season ended with a 61-52 loss to second-ranked Washington University (St. Louis) (29-2) in the NCAA championship game. Santini Lancioni (Runnemede/Paul VI) led Stockton with 19 points and Michael Farrow (Whitesboro/Middle Twp.) tallied nine points and a team-high seven boards. Farrow was named to the All-Tournament Team at the NCAA Final Four. Despite the loss, the Ospreys finished as the NCAA runner-up for the first time ever.

Stockton struggled offensively throughout the game. The Ospreys shot just 31.7 percent from the field and made only six of 28 three-point attempts (21.4%) in scoring a season-low 52 points. The defeat also snapped Stockton’s 18-game winning streak that began back on January 10.

Stockton forced four early turnovers and opened up a 7-2 lead in the first six minutes. The Ospreys went cold on offense and scored just one point on a Kai Massaquoi (Lawnside/Haddon Hts.) free throw in the next 8:55 as Washington pulled ahead 16-8. The Bears later outscored Stockton 13-4 in the final 4:28 of the half, and the Ospreys trailed 29-16 at the break.

Stockton shot a dismal 6-30 (20%) from the floor, including an even-worse 2-14 (14.3%) from three-point range in scoring a season-low 16 first-half points. Lancioni and Jerome Hubbard (Neptune/Neptune) paced the Ospreys with five points apiece. Defensively, Stockton forced nine turnovers and held Washington to 3-12 (25%) from beyond the arc.

In the second half, a jumper by Farrow produced Stockton’s only points of the first 3:30 as Washington increased its lead to 34-18. Trailing 40-24, the Ospreys clawed their way back to within 47-39 on a strength of a 15-7 run that featured two three-pointers by Lancioni. A jumper by Lancioni got Stockton within 49-41 with 7:44 to play, but Washington scored the next six points for a 55-41 advantage with 5:53 remaining. Stockton was unable to mount a rally and trailed by at least eight points for the rest of the game in suffering the 61-52 defeat.

Stockton finished its best season ever with a school-record 30 victories. Along the way, the Ospreys repeated as the NJAC champion, strung together an 18-game winning streak and reached the NCAA championship game for the first time.