Box Score
CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team staged a late comeback but eventually fell to Chestnut Hill College, 75-72 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Thursday night in the George R. Newman Center. The Cougars drop to 7-17 overall and 3-12 in league play with the loss, while the Griffins improve to 12-10, 8-5 CACC.

After an 8-0 run gave Chestnut Hill a 66-52 lead with 6:47 remaining in the game, a three-pointer by senior guard Cameron Badger (Trenton, NJ/Living Faith Christian Acad.) ignited a 14-2 Caldwell run that made it a two-point game, 68-66 with 1:32 to play. Freshman guard Dawan Lighty (Paterson, NJ/Kennedy) had six points during the key run. The Griffins' Francis Ashe hit a jumper in the paint, then Lighty went 1-of-2 from the line to make the score 70-67 with under a minute left. A lay-up by sophomore forward Michael Balkovic (Neptune, NJ/St. John Vianney) followed two free throws from Mark DiRugeris, keeping it a three-point game with 32 seconds left.

On the next possession, DiRugeris was called for a flagrant foul, giving Caldwell two free throw attempts and the ball with 18 seconds on the clock. But the Cougars missed both free throws and came up empty on the ensuing possession. Jakeem Bogans was fouled and hit two free throws, then Balkovic drained a three-pointer with seven seconds left to cut it to 74-72. Again Bogans was fouled, but he made 1-of-2, giving Caldwell one last chance with five seconds left. Freshman guard Brian Kenny (Howell, NJ/Jackson Memorial) dribbled the length of the court and put up a three-pointer from the left side that bounced off the rim as time expired.

The Griffins led by as many as 14 points in the first half before taking a 38-30 halftime advantage. In the second half, Chestnut Hill built the lead back up to 14 over the first four minutes. Caldwell responded, getting four points apiece from senior forwards Karel Thuwis (Zonhoven, Belgium/Brehm Prep) and Kairo Rochford (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) in a 15-7 run that made the score 58-52 Griffins with 9:18 on the clock. Chestnut Hill scored the next eight points to restore its 14-point lead, setting the stage for the Cougars' comeback attempt.

Balkovic finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. Lighty, who scored a career-high 24 points against Concordia College on Tuesday, tallied 20 points and four rebounds tonight. Rochford added nine points and nine rebounds, while Kenny delivered seven assists. Ashe led Chestnut Hill with 18 points, eight boards, six assists and five steals. Caldwell hit 6-of-15 from three-point range but struggled from the line, making 14-of-28 compared to 17-of-23 for the Griffins.

The loss marked the final home game for seniors Badger, Rochford, Thuwis and forward Arthur Morrison (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan), who suffered a season-ending injury in December.

Caldwell plays at Wilmington University on Saturday, Feb. 16. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. in New Castle, Del.