LAKEWOOD, N.J. – With just one more test before heading south for the Mocs Holiday Classic, the New Haven men's basketball team collected a 62-53 road win over Georgian Court University on Tuesday night at the GCU Wellness Center. With the win, New Haven improves to 5-4 on the season.

Leading the Chargers on the night was its sophomore point guard Jah'likai King who finished with 15 points, one of three New Haven players to finish with double figures in the scoring column. The sophomore's 15 points came on 7-of-12 from the field with one three pointer among his seven hoops. Following him in leading the way was Najimi George (Bridgeport, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral) and Tristian Jeffries (Hillside, N.J./Saint Thomas Aquinas) with 12 and 11 points, respectively. 

Among the pair, Jeffries led the shooting efforts as he connected on 5-of-8 from the field, including a three pointer. George came off the bench to finish in double figures, shooting 3-of-7 overall, with a three pointer, while also going 5-of-6 at the free throw line. Overall, eight different players finished with at least two points.

As a team, New Haven finished the game shooting 41.7 percent from the field (25-of-60), rebounding from a low first half shooting effort to connect on 55.2 percent in the second half alone where they finished 16-of-29. Among the 25 field goals were five from outside the arc, while the Blue and Gold finished 7-of-8 at the line, including a perfect 6-of-6 in the second half.  

The Chargers also finished the game with a 44-34 advantage in the battle of the boards, led by Simmon who finished with 11 rebounds to go along with nine points. Among the 44 rebounds, all but 10 came from its starting five with King following Simmon and closing out the game one rebound (nine total) shy of a double double.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Georgian Court opened up the scoring on the evening, scoring on their opening possession, but that would be the only hoop for either team in the early going with the Chargers the next to score nearly four minutes into the action.

·        The Lions answered that tying bucket from Ugo Nwachukwu (Imo State, Nigeria/Springfield Commonwealth Academy) with a three pointer 25 seconds later and would maintain their lead throughout the entirety of the opening half.

·        Georgian Court built up as much as a 12 point lead in the first half, that coming with five minutes remaining before the halftime break. That lead came courtesy of a 9-1 rally for the Lions.

·        The Chargers answered that double digit deficit with back-to-back three pointers that came 43 seconds apart and cut the Lions lead in half with 2:55 remaining. George and Simmon would net the two long range buckets.

·        Georgian Court would go on to end the half with six unanswered points to regain their dozen point lead at the buzzer with a three point attempt as the clock ran out off the mark. Four of the six points for the Lions in that late run came at the free throw line.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        New Haven would nearly double its 22 first half points, while defensively holding the Lions to just 19 second half points to not only erase the halftime deficit but earn the nine-point victory.

·        Coming out of the intermission, New Haven struck first on a fastbreak layup from Jeffries, which Georgian Court answered right back on their next possession.

·        That answer from the Lions would end up being the only bucket for the next six-plus minutes for the home team as New Haven erased the 12 point deficit and flipped the script to take a four point lead before GCU scored again.

·        New Haven answered what was a drought breaking three from the Lions by extending its lead to five on back-to-back buckets from King and Jeffries.

·        The Chargers would once again rally, this time around scoring seven unanswered to open up their first double figure lead of the game at 51-41 with 6:13 remaining. The Blue and Gold matched that 10 point lead once more at 60-50 just inside the final minute of play.

·        The Chargers would allow GCU no closer than seven points in the final minute despite three attempts at cutting the lead closer that were off the mark. Geroge would secure the victory with two more at the free throw line with 20 seconds remaining as the Lions turned the ball over on their final possession.

UP NEXT

The final game before heading to the Sunshine State will take place on the Chargers home court as they welcome the Wilmington Wildcats to West Haven on Wednesday, December 18. Opening tip in the cross-conference match-up is set for 7:30 p.m. following the women's game against Post University. All of the action from the Jeffery P. Hazell Athletics Center is slated to air live on NE10 Now on Flo College.