Lee led five Skyhawks in double-figures with 16 points, including five key free-throws down the stretch. (PHOTO BY Mike Broglio/SportsPix)

Lee leads balanced effort with 16 points as Skyhawks win fifth straight

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (December 29, 2016) – Eight of nine players who saw the court put their names in the scorebook as a balanced scoring effort led Stonehill College to its fifth straight win with an 87-78 decision at Georgian Court University in non-conference men's basketball action to open the second semester schedule at the Georgian Court Wellness Center this afternoon.

Junior KJ Lee (Huntington Station, New York/Long Island Lutheran) paced Stonehill's balanced scoring effort with 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, draining his lone three-point attempt, while converting 7-of-10 free-throws, to go with six assists and four rebounds. Senior Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) and junior Joel Berroa (Lawrence, Massachusetts/Bridgton Academy) each added 14 points for the Skyhawks. Logan added five rebounds and two assists, while Berroa made 5-of-7 shots from the floor, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, converting both free-throw attempts, with two rebounds.

Freshman Daniel Largey (Oceanport, New Jersey/Peddie School) drained 4-of-7 three-pointers for 12 points, five rebounds and two steals, while sophomore Michael Boen (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) chipped in a career-high 11 points, aided by 7-for-8 shooting from the free-throw line, four boards and a career-best three steals. Stonehill finished shooting 55.1-percent from the field (27-for-49), including 11-for-25 (44.0%) from three-point distance, converting 22-of-27 (81.5%) free-throws. The Skyhawks outscored Georgian Court 29-16 in points off turnovers and 29-3 in bench scoring, led by Largey and Boen's double-figure efforts.

Senior Keith Hughes (Woodbridge, New Jersey/Woodbridge) led four Georgian Court players in double-digits with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor, including 1-for-2 from deep, converting 4-of-5 free-throws to go with six rebounds and four steals, netting 16 points after halftime. Junior Juwuan Carter (Paterson, New Jersey/DePaul Catholic) added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 1-for-3 from three, and two rebounds, while sophomore Nikola Vujovic (Novi Sad, Serbia) registered 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and five boards. Freshman Caleb Bowser (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Timber Creek) chipped in 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, with four rebounds.

Georgian Court shot 56.9-percent from the field (33-for-58), including 62.1% (18-29) in the first half, connecting on 4-of-11 three-pointers (36.4%), and converting 8-of-13 free-throws (61.5%). The Lions held a 25-24 rebounding edge for the afternoon in being dealt their sixth straight defeat.

Sophomore Michael Boen scored a career-best 11 points to help lead a 29-3 advantage in bench scoring. (PHOTO BY Mike Broglio/SportsPix)

Stonehill led virtually start to finish, but was unable to put Georgian Court away despite several chances to do so. The Skyhawks opened a 16 point lead (26-10) after a three-pointer from freshman Will Moreton (Minneapolis, Minnesota/Edina) midway through the first half capped a 15-2 run. The Lions pulled back within eight (29-21) after a Vujovic put back with 7:52 remaining in the first half, when Stonehill regained a 14 point cushion (37-23) with a Largey triple with 6:12 to go.

Georgian Court followed that up with 11 straight points, sparked by a three-point play by Bowser, to cut the gap to three (37-34) following a Carter layup with 3:45 remaining. Stonehill was able to regain a nine point lead (46-37) after a layup by junior Isaiah Bess (LaGrange, Maine/Hampden Academy) with 1:29 to go until the break, before settling for a seven point (46-39) halftime advantage.

Stonehill scored the first nine points of the second half to take its second 16 point lead of the afternoon (55-39), led by four points from Logan. Georgian Court drew back within 11 (58-47) following a Vujovic jumper five minutes into the half, but the Skyhawks responded with seven straight, sparked by a Largey three and four Boen free-throws, to take a game-high 18 point lead (65-47) with 12:10 remaining.

Stonehill's lead was still 16 (69-53) after Boen split two free-throws with 9:36 to play, when Georgian Court emerged from a timeout with eight straight points, capped by a Bowser three-pointer, to cut the deficit in half with 7:19 still left. The Lions closed within five (74-69) after a Carter layup with 3:59 to go, but the Skyhawks scored the next six to regain their double-digit lead (80-69) after a Bess layup with 2:36 remaining. Stonehill sealed the win from there by draining 7-of-8 free-throws, including 5-for-6 from Lee, over the closing two minutes.

Stonehill (8-4, 4-3 NE10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts the University of Bridgeport, ranked eighth in the D2SIDA East Region poll, for a New Year's Eve matchup at Merkert Gym at 1 p.m. Georgian Court (1-13, 1-5 CACC) visits Concordia (N.Y.) College on Wednesday, January 4, at 6 p.m.

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