RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Caldwell College men's basketball team was victorious in a close Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game at Concordia College, 80-78 Thursday night at the Meyer Athletic Center. Freshman forward Michael Balkovic (Neptune, NJ/St. John Vianney) recorded 22 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Cougars, who improve to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference. The Clippers fall to 5-4, 2-2 CACC.
In a tight game that saw 14 ties and seven lead changes, the Cougars used eight points from Balkovic midway through the first half to take their largest lead of the game, 31-25 with 6:42 on the clock. After Concordia came back to tie the score at 37-37, Balkovic and freshman guard Wyatt Polk (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) made baskets to give Caldwell a 41-37 lead at halftime. The Cougars shot 57.1 percent from the field in the half, as Balkovic hit 7-of-9 en route to 16 points.
The game went back and forth in the second half, with Concordia eventually using a 10-2 run to build its largest lead, 66-61 with 6:32 to play. Freshman guard Kevin Walker (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) helped Caldwell regain the lead with a basket and two free throws for a 70-68 lead with 4:25 left. But the Clippers came back to tie the game twice, the second time on a Lavor Morris lay-up with just over two minutes remaining.
Three free throws by junior forward Karel Thuwis (Zonhoven, Belgium/Brehm Prep) and two more from senior guard Anthony Gill (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) sandwiched around a pair of empty Concordia possessions put Caldwell up 79-74 with 39 seconds left. Again the Clippers battled back, pulling within two points on a lay-up by Jared Smith and two free throws from Brandon Whitaker. After the Cougars missed two free throws, Concordia had a chance, trailing 80-78 with four seconds left. But Gill stole the ball before Whitaker could attempt a shot, clinching the win for Caldwell.
The Cougars finished the game shooting 52.9 percent from the floor while making twice as many free throws as the Clippers (22-11). Balkovic hit nine of his 13 field goal attempts for the game en route to 22 points and seven rebounds. Both Gill and senior guard Nikola Otovic (Kraljevo, Serbia) tallied 14 points apiece, while Walker finished with nine points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and no turnovers. Argelix Gil tallied 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Morris finished with 22 points for Concordia in the loss.
Next up for Caldwell is a CACC contest at Chestnut Hill College on Saturday, Dec. 10, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.
