Senior Andre Tongo led the Skyhawks into first place in the NE-10 with a game-high 21 points. (PHOTO BY Br. Charles McBride) |
Tongo's 21 points leads Skyhawks into share of first place with Panthers
Senior Andre Tongo (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) led Stonehill with 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, while converting 5-of-6 free-throws to go with three rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. Junior Adam Fazzini (Drums, Pa./Crestwood) added 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, while converting 3-of-4 free-throws with five rebounds.
Stonehill shot 34-percent (16-for-47) from the field, but outside of Tongo and Fazzini, the Skyhawks were 6-for-31 (19.4%). The Skyhawks made 8-of-20 (40%) three-pointers and finished with a 39-36 rebounding edge. Adelphi shot 34.5-percent (19-for-55), but just 5-for-15 (33.3%) from deep, and converted 11-of-13 (84.6%) free-throws.
Junior Raheem May-Thompson (London, England/Towson (Md.) Catholic) contributed eight points and four rebounds off the bench for Stonehill, while classmate Brian Hamor (Schenectady, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) chipped in four assists and six boards.
Junior Adam Fazzini added 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting overall. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane) |
Senior Robert Johnson (New Rochelle, N.Y./Tuckahoe) led Adelphi with 14 points, aided by 6-for-6 shooting at the free-throw line, with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Junior John Calarco (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) added 13 points and four rebounds off the bench, while senior Richard Harkins (Bellmore, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) finished with ten points and six assists. Junior Chris Ranglin (Yonkers, N.Y./Gorton) chipped in eight points and eight boards.
Stonehill led by as much as 12 points before holding off a late Adelphi rally for its third-straight win and fifth over the last six outings. Junior Cliff Brown (Hempstead, N.Y./Uniondale) nearly completed the comeback, but his layup at the buzzer for Adelphi rolled off the rim.
Stonehill held the early advantage, staking out a six point lead (12-6) after a conventional three point play by freshman Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) with 11:10 to play in the opening half. The Skyhawks pushed their lead to as much as ten (20-10) after Tongo three-pointer with 4:26 remaining in the half.
Adelphi scored the final five points of the opening frame to trail by five (25-20) at the half and then kept the run going to start the second and draw even (25-25) on a Ranglin three 2:10 in. Cole and Fazzini scored baskets to put Stonehill back in front by four (29-25), but the Panthers scored six straight to forge in front (31-29) with a Calarco layup with 15:39 left.
Stonehill used a 15-2 run behind three three-pointers by Fazzini and another by Tongo to regain the lead and open an 11 point (46-35) lead with 6:44 remaining after two Tongo free-throws. Hamor buried a three after a Harkins layup to extend the Skyhawks lead to a game-high 12 (49-37) with 5:20 on the clock to seemingly take control.
Adelphi drew within a point (53-52) after two Johnson free-throws with 21-seconds to play. The Panthers kept Stonehill without a field goal over the final 2:52 to key the late rally, but the Skyhawks were able to stay in front. Fazzini made two free-throws with 18-seconds left to put Stonehill back up three (55-52). Johnson quickly pulled Adelphi back within a point. Hamor was fouled and missed both free-throws with five seconds left, but Brown's last second layup fell off the rim to send the Skyhawks home with a share of first place in the NE-10.
Stonehill (13-5, 10-4 NE-10) is back on action on Saturday when it hosts Pace University in Merkert Gymnasium at 3:30 p.m. Adelphi (13-5, 10-4 NE-10) visits Saint Anselm College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
