Felician Athletics - 1/12/08 MEN'S BASKETBALL - Men's Basketball Edged In Closing Seconds, 61-60

RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Felician College men’s basketball team nearly survived shooting 30 percent from the floor, but ultimately bowed to visiting Nyack College, 61-60, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division action Saturday afternoon at Job Gymnasium.

Nyack senior guard Brian Roberts (Hartford, CT) converted a driving lay-up with 2.5 seconds left in regulation for his team’s winning margin. Roberts received an in-bound pass above the left “elbow” at 0:06.0 and drove the ball in a direct line to the basket. The Warriors had grabbed two offensive rebounds in the possession after Derrell Thomas (Harlem, NY) gave Felician a 60-59 edge with two free throws with just over 32 seconds to play. A last-gasp three-point attempt by Thomas at the buzzer missed the rim.

The game-winner made Roberts (8-11 FG) the contest’s leading scorer with 16 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds. John Vandunk (Hillburn, NY) (seven rebounds) and Sheanan Martinez (Haverstraw, NY) each added 13 points for the Warriors (6-8, 2-3). Jason Romer (New York, NY) led four double-figure scorers for the Golden Falcons with 15 points and seven rebounds. Thomas scored 14 points with seven assists, and Devon Young (Monmouth Junction, NJ) registered 13 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.

Felician (6-8, 1-4) missed 17 of its first 20 shots in falling behind, 22-7. The Golden Falcons still trailed, 35-22, at halftime, and by as many as 17 points in the second period. They took their first lead on a Thomas lay-up with 1:30 to play. The teams then traded pairs of free throws, setting up Roberts’s heroics.

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