CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team came up just short in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference battle with Bloomfield College, falling in overtime, 66-64 Wednesday night in the George R. Newman Center. The Cougars are now 5-11 overall and 3-3 in the conference, while the Deacons improve to 12-7, 3-3 CACC.
After trailing since the 1:40 mark of the first half, the Cougars took their first lead of the second half on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Eddie Crockett (Passaic, NJ/Passaic) that made the score 47-45 Caldwell with 3:45 left in regulation. The Cougars held a three-point lead with 1:34 on the clock after a lay-up from senior forward B.J. Suchy (Ronkonkoma, NY/Our Savior New American) put his team up 51-48. But a basket by Barney Anderson, followed by a conventional three-point play from Omari Knox, gave the lead back to Bloomfield, 53-51 with just under a minute to play. Junior forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) tied the game with a basket with 34 seconds left. After the Cougars forced a turnover with six second on the clock, senior guard Adam Sabree (Detroit, MI/Renaissance) put up a shot from 10 feet, but it didn't drop, forcing overtime.
The overtime period remained close throughout as both teams fought hard for the win. Sabree's three-pointer with 2:31 left gave Caldwell a 58-56 advantage. After Knox and Perez each made two free throws for their teams, Namdi Ahaneku grabbed an offensive rebound, made a lay-up and was fouled with 1:25 to play. Ahaneku made the ensuing free throw for a 61-60 Bloomfield lead. Perez put the Cougars back on top with a thunderous dunk off a missed shot, but two free throws by Roahn Sheppard with 45 seconds left restored Bloomfield's lead, 63-62. Perez answered back with two free throws of his own, but again Bloomfield answered when Gage Daye was fouled and made two free throws with 16 seconds left for a 65-64 lead. After a Caldwell turnover and one free throw by Ahaneku, the Cougars had a chance with four seconds left. But a game-tying lay-up by Crockett went in after the buzzer and did not count.
Caldwell committed 23 turnovers compared to 15 for Bloomfield while making just 61.9 percent from the line, nearly 10 percent lower than their season average.
Perez recorded 23 points and 14 rebounds while going 7-of-11 from the floor to pace the Cougars. Sabree finished with 12 points, and freshman forward Sam Cricelli (Brighton, England/Culham) had 11 points and seven rebounds. Daye had 14 points, five assists and four steals, Knox finished with 13 points and Ahaneku tallied 10 points, 12 boards and three steals for Bloomfield.
The Cougars return to action on Saturday, Jan. 19, when they play at Holy Family University in another CACC contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.
