SPARKILL, N.Y. – Senior Joseph Doganiero (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) opened up his senior season with a career-high 12 points, all from beyond the three point arc as the University of New Haven men's basketball team dropped an 82-81 overtime decision to the No. 5 nationally ranked Saint Thomas Aquinas Spartans in the opening game of the 2017-18 season. Leading the Blue and Gold overall was senior Mihailo Vasic (Novi Sad, Serbia) who finished with 16 points while shooting 78 percent from the field.
Vasic and Doganiero made up half of the four total players in double figures as they were joined by junior Najee Larcher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) and sophomore Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk), who finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Overall, eight different players contributed to the offense on the evening with sophomore Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) and Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) each finishing one basket shy of double figures with nine and eight, respectively.
As a team, the Chargers finished the night shooting 45.2 percent from the field, making 28 of their 62 total attempts. Among the 28 field goals were 10 from beyond the three point arc, led by Doganiero who scored all 12 of his points from long range, making 4-of-5 attempts. Additionally, Kane finished perfect from outside the arc, connecting on both of his attempts.
Overall for the game, Larcher led the Chargers from the field as he did not miss any of his five shots, while Vasic continued his single school-record shooting percentage from a year ago, missing just two of his nine total attempts, one of which came on a tip-in attempt as time expired in the overtime period.
Senior Danny Upchurch (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame Catholic) closed out his night narrowly missing out on a double double, finishing with 10 assists, which matches his career-high, while pulling down eight rebounds. As a team, the Chargers led the battle of the boards with a 41-34 advantage, with Upchurch's eight pacing New Haven. Following him was Larcher and Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) who each corralled seven boards.
FIRST HALF NOTES
· Saint Thomas opened up the game on fire in their home opener, sinking their first four three point attempts, pulling out to a 16-6 advantage within the first four minutes. The Spartans expanded their lead to 14, 20-6, before Kane broke a four-plus minute drought with a layup thanks to some help from Vasic.
· Trailing by 12 points at the midway point of the half, the Chargers began to chip away at the deficit, rattling off seven straight points, including the final five all from Kane on a three pointer and a perfect 2-of-2 effort at the free throw line.
· Another six point rally for the Chargers pulled New Haven within a single bucket deficit. Back-to-back layups from Vasic and Bailey led to the Blue and Gold pulling within 28-25 with 5:30 remaining before the break.
· The Spartans regained a double digit lead with 2:45 remaining before the half, however New Haven wasn't going to rest scoring 12 of the final 14 points in the half to pull within a single digit at the intermission 40-39. That rally included three pointers from Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) and Kane, while a pair of free throws from Larcher provided the final margin.
· Vasic closed out the opening half perfect from the field, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts. Included in those five buckets was the forwards third three pointer in a Charger uniform, with his first ever also coming at Aquinas Hall in the season opener last season against Mercy.
· In addition to Vasic, Kane also finished in double figures, leading the team with 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting with a pair of three pointers while going perfect from the free throw line in four attempts.
· Upchurch closed out the opening half of his senior season with six assists, securing his 21st career game with five or more.
SECOND HALF NOTES
· New Haven's first field goal in the second half came from outside the three point arc and also provided the Chargers first lead of the game as Rowland converted his second from outside the arc thanks to an assist by Vasic. Following this lead change, the Chargers would maintain an advantage until the overtime frame.
· That basket was also the first of three straight unanswered three pointers for New Haven as the Chargers held the Spartans off the scoreboard for a five minute stretch that concluded with a 49-42 lead for the visiting team. Rowland and Doganiero provided the final two three pointers in that stretch.
· The three pointer by Doganiero that closed out that rally was the first of four in the game for the senior guard as he came off the bench for the first time just 12 seconds before sinking that bucket. Overall, Doganiero's four three pointers all came without a miss from long range.
· New Haven's defense would again step up, holding the Spartans scoreless for nearly a four minute stretch that ended with the Chargers first double digit lead of the game, which came courtesy of a pair of free throws from Bailey.
· Two layups from Larcher would be the final two baskets of regulation for the Chargers as Saint Thomas managed to tie the game on a three pointer with six seconds remaining, forcing overtime.
· A balanced effort for the Chargers in the second half included five different players providing the scoring with Doganiero leading the way with nine points, all from long range.
NEXT ON TAP
The Chargers close out the season opening STAC Tip-off Tournament on Saturday when they take on the Mercy Mavericks. Tip off from Aquinas Hall is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Links for Live Stats and Live Video are available on the men's basketball schedule.
