#16 New Jersey City - 85, Farmingdale State - 77
Jersey City, N.J. - In a non-conference men's basketball game this afternoon, Farmingdale State fell to #16 New Jersey City, 85-77. The Rams dropped to 3-1, while the Gothic Knights improved to 4-1.
Just four minutes into the game, FSC jumped out to an 11-3 advantage, including five points from senior guard Ali Mableton (Brentwood, N.Y.). After NJCU called a timeout, the Gothic Knights went on a 22-4 run over the next 8:22 to open up a 10-point lead, 25-15.
After trading layups, Farmingdale State senior guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) hit three straight free-throws to cut the deficit to seven, 27-20.
Over the final 4:47 of the half, New Jersey City outscored FSC, 12-6, as they went into the break leading, 39-26.
Gothic Knights sophomore guard Denzel Banks (Newark, N.J.) led all scorers with 14 first half points. Rams' senior forward George Riefenstahl (Bayport, N.Y.) tallied eight points and seven rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
Leading 51-41, NJCU used a 10-1 run to take a 19-point advantage, 61-42, with 10:23 left on the clock.
Trailing 73-51 with 5:11 remaining, Farmingdale State junior guard Ryan Kennedy (Maspeth, N.Y.) hit a 3-pointer before junior forward Andrew Ballou (Staten Island, N.Y.) went 2-for-2 at the free-throw line to cut the deficit to 17.
After a free-throw by New Jersey City junior guard Jeff Haddock Jr. (Burlington Township, N.J.), a Ballou layup and four points from sophomore guard Joseph Santoro (Levittown, N.Y.) allowed the Rams to close within 12, 74-62, with 2:54 left.
FSC outscored the Gothic Knights 15-11 the rest of the way but it was not enough as New Jersey City held on for the home non-conference victory, 85-77.
Kennedy tallied a team-high 16 points, while Riefenstahl finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Mableton and Graham finished with 12 and nine points, respectively, and in 18 minutes off the bench, junior guard Kyle Beeson (South Jamaica, N.Y.) had eight points and eight rebounds.
Banks ended with 20 points, six steals and five rebounds in the win for NJCU.
The Rams next host non-conference opponent Wesleyan University in their home opener on Wednesday, November 28th at 7:00 p.m.
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