box score
CALDWELL, N.J. - Shelton Powell's lay-up with 1.6 seconds remaining allowed Bloomfield College to defeat Caldwell College, 86-85 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference men's basketball game Tuesday night at the George R. Newman Center. The loss dropped the Cougars to 13-11 overall and 9-7 in the CACC, while the Deacons remained atop the conference with a 12-4 CACC record (13-8 overall).

With the Cougars leading 84-81, Powell made a lay-up and was fouled. His free throw tied the score at 84-84 with just under seven seconds to play. On the inbounds pass, senior guard Kelvin Reese (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) was fouled by Kareem Boswell, sending Reese to the free throw line. Reese missed the first and made the second to put Caldwell ahead 85-84. After calling a timeout in the frontcourt with 2.9 seconds on the clock, Tony Wilson's inbounds pass went to Powell in the low post. Powell scored over his defender to give the Deacons an 86-85 lead with 1.6 seconds left. Caldwell's ensuing inbounds pass sailed over Bloomfield's baseline, and the Deacons ran out the clock to clinch the victory.

The Cougars led by as many as 11 in the first half, using an 11-0 run capped by a three-pointer from senior guard Mark Kelly (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Twp.) to build a 22-11 advantage midway through the half. But the Deacons Chipped away at the deficit, eventually taking a 34-33 lead on Boswell's lay-up at the 1:29 mark of the first half. A 12-2 spurt to end the half gave Bloomfield a 41-35 lead at the break.

The Cougars quickly tied the game at 43-43 with a three-pointer and a lay-up by sophomore forward B.J. Suchy (Ronkonkoma, NJ/Our Savior), right, and a three from Reese. The eight points were part of a 17-3 Cougar spree that put Caldwell ahead, 52-44 with 16 minutes to play. Again the Deacons came back and regained the lead midway through the second half. The lead changed hands four times before another Kelly three-pointer completed a 13-4 run that gave the Cougars an 80-74 advantage with just under three minutes to play.

A lay-up by Boswell and a three from Wilson brought Bloomfield to within one, 80-79 with 1:15 left. Then with 33 seconds on the clock, junior guard Jean Georges (Vauxhal, NJ/Spotswood), left, hit a 12-foot jumper and was fouled. Georges' free throw was answered by another basket by Wilson, who then fouled Georges on the next possession. Georges, a 74.3 percent free throw shooter, missed both, but Wilson was called for a charge at the other end. Sophomore forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg Harbor) was fouled by Boswell and made 1-of-2 from the line to make it 84-81, setting up Powell's heroics.

Georges scored 16 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to lead the Cougars, who made 58.6 percent of their attempts from the field after halftime. Perez recorded 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds, with Suchy and Kelly adding 14 and 11 points, respectively. Wilson paced the Deacons with 21 points, while Daniel Terrell scored 19 points and Andre Dabney had 18 in the win.

The Cougars return to the court on Thursday, Feb. 9 with a CACC game at Post University. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. in Waterbury, Conn.