Box Score
NYACK, N.Y. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team lost a close game at Nyack College, 48-45 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match-up Wednesday evening at Bowman Gymnasium. The Cougars are now 7-15 overall and 3-10 in league play, while the Warriors improve to 5-16, 3-11 CACC.

The first half remained close throughout, with neither team leading by more than five points. A three-pointer by sophomore guard Kevin Walker (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) and two lay-ups from senior forward Karel Thuwis (Zonhoven, Belgium/Brehm Prep) gave Caldwell a 26-23 advantage late in the first half. Nyack was able to tie the score at 26-26 before the break on a jumper from Will Robinson. Robinson led all players with 10 points in the half, while sophomore forward Michael Balkovic (Neptune, NJ/St. John Vianney) scored seven points for Caldwell.

The score was still deadlocked at 35-35 with 12:43 to play when the Warriors reeled off nine straight points for the largest lead of the game, 44-35 with 8:37 remaining. Caldwell responded with baskets by Walker and freshman guards Dawan Lighty (Paterson, NJ/Kennedy) and Brian Kenny (Howell, NJ/Jackson Memorial) that made the score 44-41 Nyack at the 5:25 mark. After the Warriors took a 47-41 lead following a free throw and a Chris Hampton basket, neither team scored for over three minutes. Walker ended the drought with a basket with 1:11 on the clock, then hit another jumper after a Balkovic steal to make it a two-point game, 47-45 with 25 seconds left.

On the ensuing inbounds play, the Cougars forced a five-second call and received the ball with a chance to tie the game. But two attempts in a scramble around the basket were off the mark, and Robinson made 1-of-2 free throws for a 48-45 lead. Caldwell had one final chance with 2.4 seconds on the clock, but a long inbounds pass did not connect. The Cougars shot just 27.6 percent from the field in the second half, and made one three-pointer in 14 attempts for the game.

Walker recorded 12 points and six rebounds, and Balkovic finished with 11 points and eight boards. Thuwis grabbed a game-high nine rebounds to go with nine points. Nyack was led by Khalid Samuels with 17 points.

Caldwell hosts Chestnut Hill College on Saturday, Feb. 9 in a CACC game beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.