BLOOMFIELD, N.J. - Junior forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Caldwell College men's basketball team to a 79-74 victory at Bloomfield College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Thursday night at the Bloomfield Gymnasium. The win puts the Cougars in second place in the CACC North Division with a 7-5 conference record (9-13 overall), while the Deacons (13-12)remain in fifth place at 4-7.

Bloomfield's Gage Daye hit a pair of threes in the game's first three minutes to help the Deacons jump out to a 12-2 lead. The advantage would grow to as many as 14 after Elias Brantley completed a conventional three-point play to put Bloomfield ahead 30-16 with 7:44 remaining in the half. The Cougars answered with 12 consecutive points, buoyed by three-pointers from senior guard Michael Wise (Whitesboro, NJ/Middle Twp.) and sophomore guard Eddie Crockett (Passaic, NJ/Passaic), that made the score 30-28 Bloomfield with 3:44 on the clock. The Deacons maintained the lead for the remainder of the half, taking a 37-34 advantage into the break.

The teams battled for control throughout the second half, as there were 11 lead changes and six ties after halftime. With the score tied 65-65 with just under five minutes to play, Perez nailed a three-pointer from the left corner to put the Cougars on top. That play sparked a 9-0 run that resulted in a 74-65 Caldwell lead with 1:07 left to play. But Bloomfield did not surrender, as Omari Knox hit a three-pointer to start a 7-0 run that pulled the Deacons to within two, 74-72 with 28 seconds remaining. The Cougars held onto the lead by stopping Bloomfield on its next two possessions while making 4-of-5 from the line down the stretch. Perez tallied a block, two rebounds and four free throws in the game's final 20 seconds to preserve the win.

Perez was 8-of-12 from the field and 7-of-8 from the line en route to his fifth game with 20 or more points this season. He also grabbed 10 rebounds, as did senior guard Adam Sabree (Detroit, MI/Renaissance), helping Caldwell earn a 46-32 rebounding advantage. Wise finished with 13 points, while Sabree also pitched in 12 points, four assists and three steals. Knox led all scorers with 25 points, and Daye tallied 19 points and seven assists for the Deacons.

Caldwell plays at Nyack College on Saturday, Feb. 9, beginning at 6:00 p.m.