SPARKILL, N.Y. -- Sophomore Darnell Evans (Amityville, N.Y.) had 20 points and seven assists and junior Derrick Bueno (Palisades Park, N.J.) put up 16 points and grabbed five rebounds, but the last swing in a heavyweight battle went the way of host STAC over Caldwell, 84-76, in non-conference men's basketball action at Aquinas Hall.

STAC (4-1), which came into the game ranked #2 in the Region in the latest CSC poll, took a 10-point first half lead and settled for an eight-point edge at the half. The Cougars (3-1), ranked #4, stormed back, tying the game at 42 on a jumper by soph Kirk Parsons (Newark, N.J.). The game teetered back and forth, with the Cougars going up by as many as four, and still led, 69-68, after a jumper by junior Mark Heber (Paterson, N.J.), wth 6:02 left.

An 8-0 run put the hosts up, 76-69, with 4:25 left, but the Cougars stepped up the pressure, a fadeaway jumper by soph Melvin Evans (Bronx, N.Y.) and layup by Heber on a feed from Darnell Evans cutting the Cougars' deficit to 76-73 with 3:11 left. A steal by Darnell Evans and feed to Melvin Evans for layup, and later a free throw by Heber tied the game at 76 with just under 2:00 left. 

But STAC would close the game on an 8-0 run for the final margin.

Heber finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Melvin Evans had 10 and four boards.

The Cougars were undone by their free thrown shooting, making just 11 of 25 from the stripe including some critical misses in the final moments, and 22 turnovers.

Caldwell next visits American International on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Springfield, Mass.