box scoreCALDWELL, N.J. - Felician College forward Thomas Johnson recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Golden Falcons to a 73-64 win over the Caldwell College men's basketball team in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon at the George R. Newman Center. The loss is the fourth in a row for the Cougars, who are now 3-8 on the season and 2-4 in the CACC. Felician improves to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
The first half remained close throughout, with six ties and neither team leading by more than four points. With the game tied at 25-25, a jumper by senior guard
Kelvin Reese (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) put the Cougars up 27-25 with 1:41 left in the half. Felician's Sydir Mitchell sank a three-pointer to regain the advantage, then after a Caldwell turnover, Thomas's basket sent the Golden Falcons into the break leading 30-27.
After Felician built its lead up to 42-36 midway through the second half, a three by sophomore guard
Michael Wise (Whitesboro, NJ/Middletownship), pictured, and a lay-up from sophomore forward
Manny Perez (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg Harbor) pulled Caldwell to within one, 42-41 with 10:53 remaining. But the Golden Falcons broke open the game with a 14-4 run, including six points from Mitchell, to take a 56-45 lead with 6:35 left to play. A 12-6 Caldwell run, capped by a three-pointer by senior guard
Mark Kelly (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Twp.), cut the deficit to five, 62-57 with 3:07 left. But that's as close as the Cougars would get, as Felician won for the third time in four games.
Reese, Wise and junior guard
Jean Georges (Vauxhal, NJ/Spotswood) each tallied 14 points for Caldwell, with Georges adding a team-high eight rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Mitchell pitched in with 15 points in support of Thomas, who was 6-of-9 from the field to help the Golden Falcons shoot 49.1 percent from the field compared to 39.6 percent for the Cougars.
Caldwell is back in action on Monday, Dec. 19, when the Cougars host Pace University in a non-conference game. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Newman Center.
