Farmingdale State - 73, Neumann - 62
Galloway, N.J. - The Farmingdale State men's basketball team opened their season against Neumann University at the Stockton Tip-Off Tournament this evening and won, 73-62.
With the game knotted at 8-8 only 3:50 in, the Knights (2-3) would use a 9-1 run over the next 3:57 to take an eight-point advantage. The Rams (1-0) responded with back-to-back layups by junior guard Kyle Beeson (South Jamaica, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Joseph Santoro (Levittown, N.Y.) to cut the deficit to four, 17-13. After a Neumann jumper from Aaron Johnson-Chavis (Philadelphia, Penn.), Farmingdale State junior guard Troy Feeney (Hewlett, N.Y.) nailed a 3 to close within just three, 19-16.
Still trailing by three, 26-23, with 5:13 left in the half, Rams' senior guard Ali Mableton (Brentwood, N.Y.) knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game at 26-26. On FSC's next possession junior forward Jermaine Fraser (Valley Stream, N.Y.) scored off the feed from Mableton to put Farmingdale State ahead, 28-26.
Neumann trailed by one, 32-31, at the half and used a jumper from junior guard Waheem Lowman (Philadelphia, Penn.) followed by a layup from Raquan Brown-Johnson (Philadelphia, Penn.) to open the second and go in front 35-32. FSC would quickly regain the lead, 36-35, on a pair of layups by senior forward George Riefenstahl (Bayport, N.Y.).
Farmingdale State led by five, 51-46, with just over seven minutes remaining, and used a three-point play by Mableton to open up an eight point advantage. FSC extended the lead to 57-47 just 58 seconds later as senior guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) tallied a 3 off the pass from Santoro.
After a Knights free-throw, Mableton and Santoro each went 2-for-2 at the free-throw line to put the Rams in front, 61-48. Neumann was able to close within seven, 61-54, with 3:25 left but FSC would outscore the Knights 12-8 the rest of the way to secure the non-conference win, 73-62.
Graham led all scorers with 21 points on 5-of-10 from behind the arc. Mableton, who had a team-high six rebounds and five assists, shot 4-for-5 from the field and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line for 14 points, while Riefenstahl pitched in with 10 points and a game-high two blocks.
Senior forward Mark Perry (Harrisburg, Penn.) led the way for Neumann with 10 points and 10 boards.
The Rams will now play host-school Stockton in the championship game of the tournament, tomorrow, November 18th at 3:00 p.m. The consolation game between York and Neumann will be played at 1:00 p.m.
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