CALDWELL, N.J. - Senior guard Jean Georges (Vauxhal, NJ/Spotswood) scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Caldwell College men's basketball team to a 69-56 victory over Adelphi University in a non-conference match-up Tuesday night at the George R. Newman Center. The win extended the Cougars' winning streak to four and improved their overall record to 12-8. The Panthers are now 9-9 on the season.
Caldwell used 10 straight points to break a 12-12 tie and spark a convincing 24-4 run over the final nine minutes of the first half that resulted in a 36-16 lead at the break. The Cougars made 14-of-15 free throws during the run, which saw three technical fouls called on Adelphi. Georges took advantage of his trips to the charity stripe, going 10-of-11 from the line en route to 16 first-half points.
The lead would grow to as many as 24 after a lay-up by junior guard Adam Sabree (Detroit, MI/Renaissance) made it 45-21 with 15:16 remaining. An 11-2 spurt capped by a lay-up from Samuel Jenkins helped the Panthers cut the lead to 47-32 at the midway point of the second half. But the Cougars proceeded to make 7-of-8 from the line to bring their lead back to 54-32 at the eight-minute mark. Georges converted four more free throws after an intentional foul and another technical were called on Adelphi to make the score 62-38 with 4:19 left to play. The Panthers heated up from three-point range late, hitting four threes in the final four minutes of the game, including three from Kimani Blaize. But it was not enough to prevent the Cougars from winning their fourth straight to match their longest winning streak of the season.
The game was won at the free throw line, as Caldwell set season highs in free throws made (31), attempted (36) and free throw percentage (.861). The Panthers went to the line 22 times, making 17. The Cougar defense also played well, holding Adelphi to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field.
Georges hit 16-of-17 free throws for the game en route to his third straight 20-point game and 11th of the season. With Tuesday's performance, Georges moved into fifth place on Caldwell's all-time scoring list with 1,260 career points. Sabree and junior guard Michael Wise (Whitesboro, NJ/Middletownship), left, each scored 10 points, with junior guard Hans Stelzer (Selden, NY/Our Savior) and freshman forward Sam Cricelli (Brighton, England/Culham) each grabbing a team-high seven boards. Donnell Cummings finished with 17 points to lead Adelphi.
The Cougars return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action on Thursday, when they travel to face Felician College. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. in Rutherford, N.J.
