PHOTO GALLERY
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – With the game on the line, New Haven men's basketball turned to Tyler Saint-Furcy (Inwood, N.Y./Lawrence Woodmere Academy) in the final seconds as he sank the hook shot from the paint to take the one point lead and the eventual Northeast-10 victory 67-66 over the American International Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon.
Overall, Saint-Furcy was one of five players to finish in double figures for the Blue and Gold as he closed out the night with a dozen points, none more important than the ones the iced the victory in the final seconds. For the game, Saint-Furcy and freshman Jah'Likai King (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) were the hot hands to turn to as the pair combined to go 14-of-20 from the field, 6-9 for Saint-Furcy and 8-of-11 for King who led the Chargers on the afternoon with 19 points. Two of his eight field goals came from outside the arc.
Joining that pair in double figures was sophomore Joshua Hopson (Jersey City, N.J./MacDuffie School) who followed up a career-high rebounding effort last time out with 12 points today, finishing 5-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 at the free throw line. He added that to four rebounds and a team-high four assists.
Rounding out the leading scorers for the Chargers was redshirt freshman Ethan Simmon (Edison, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen) who came off the bench to score 11 and senior Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) who extended his double figure streak to 10 straight games with 10 points. Combined Thomas and Simmon provided 15 points from outside the three-point with Thomas adding two from long range and Simmon draining a team-high three from outside the arc.
As a team, New Haven finished the game shooting an even 50 percent from the field, connecting on 27 total field goals in 54 attempts, with seven of those from outside the three point arc. In addition, New Haven finished 6-of-13 from the free throw line.
The Yellow Jackets did take the battle of the boards by a 40-28 margin with Thomas and Simmon leading the efforts for New Haven, each finishing with five. Saint-Furcy and King both joined Hopson with four rebounds, while King added three assists and a team-high seven steals.
New Haven will make its 2024 debut in West Haven when they next take the floor, welcoming crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University to the Hazell Athletic Center on Wednesday, January 10. Opening tip at Charger Gymnasium is slated for 7:30 p.m. in game two of a doubleheader with the women's team. Unable to attend, all fo the action will be available live on NE10Now.tv.
