From the desk of: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH
FINAL
Knights 77
Blackbirds 78
LIU/Brooklyn Blackbirds: Flatbush fends off FDU Knights; Set stage for Battle of the Boroughs versus Staten Island's Wagner Seahawks to decide Northeast Conference champion.
Winning the opening tip and scoring the first basket, Fairleigh Dickinson set Saturday's NEC semifinal game at the WRAC in motion.
After misfiring on their first possession, LIU's Joel Hernandez put Flatbush on the board when he connected from beyond the arch for three. The Blackbirds continued setting the initial pace, jumping out to an early 16-6 lead.
Roughly five minutes into the fray, however, the Knights began settling down. And by the midway point of the half, FDU was in the midst of a 14-0 run that would change the complexion of the game. Led by forward Kaleb Bishop's ten points and eleven rebounds, FDU built a fourteen point lead with 1:04 remaining in the half.
The Knights stayed on target through the first twenty minutes, shooting 48.6 percent from the field, and fifty percent (4/8) from beyond the arch. The Blackbirds, on the other hand, were just 34.4 percent from the field, and just twenty percent (3/15) from three-point range.
Raiquan Clark, Joel Hernandez, and Julian Batts, were the only Blackbirds to register first-half points. Clark kept LIU moving along with sixteen points, but not before having to iron out a rough start in which he committed five of LIU's six turnovers.
With the Blackbirds trailing 23-18, a Julian Batts steal led to a fast-break the other way. However, Batts failed to pick up Clark trailing the play. Batts elected to keep it and wound up earning a trip to the stripe, but not before Clark voiced his displeasure with Julian over the play.
Later in the half, I also witnessed Raiquan in the paint jawing with Knights forward Mike Holloway Jr. after a physical sequence in LIU's end. It was then the game paused for a TV timeout, and I estimate the ref spent ten seconds having a one-sided conversation with Clark whom stood positioned at the free throw line.
With time winding down in the first half, Joel Hernandez converted a pair of free throws with 0:31 left to at least bring the Blackbirds within nine points by the intermission.
In one respect - just one - the second half played out no differently. The Blackbirds never did come up with an answer for Kaleb Bishop, whom finished up with a game-high 22 rebounds and a complimentary nineteen points. LIU, meanwhile, had 33 rebounds all game.
Otherwise, the second half was an entirely different story.
The Blackbirds found their range over the final twenty minutes, shooting 51.4 percent from the field and fifty percent (6/12) from beyond the arch. Whereas the Knights effectively performed an about face. An intensified defensive effort on behalf of LIU is partly to blame for Fairleigh Dickinson dipping to 37.5 from the field, and for being limited to six three-point attempts in the second half.
It should be noted, though, Coach Kellogg utilized a four man bench and asked them to contribute 37 minutes. Whereas Fairleigh Dickinson head coach Greg Herenda effectively implemented a one-man bench, freshman Elyjah Williams whom logged thirteen minutes. Four of FDU's five starters played at least 39 minutes; freshman forward Noah Morgan played forty minutes.
Flatbush began chipping away at FDU's lead, and by the 13:01 mark, Raiquan Clark was assisting on Julian Batts' three-pointer, thus reducing LIU's deficit to just one. Joel Hernandez then picked the Knights pockets clean on their ensuing possession, and punctuated his thievery with an emphatic dunk at the other end. That gave the Blackbirds their first lead of the second half which they extended to seven points through the 5:30 mark.
FDU then made their final push, going on an 11-0 run. Kaleb Bishop converted a pair of free throws to put FDU up by four with 1:58 remaining in regulation.
Before long, however, Julian Batts' three-pointer tied the game, 76-76, with 1:13 left to play.
Zach Coleman's fifth personal foul of the game put FDU's Mike Holloway Jr. at the line with just 0:49 left on the clock. Flatbush caught a break when Holloway missed on his first attempt. He connected on his second attempt putting FDU up by one.
Joel Hernandez launched a wayward three on LIU's ensuing possession. Kaleb Bishop secured the rebound and the Knights called for time. After the thirty second break, Raiquan Clark fouled Bishop with 0:09 seconds left in regulation. But in the end, the only one seemingly able to thwart Kaleb Bishop proved to be Bishop himself. The game's star to this point ponderously missed both free throw attempts to FDU's dismay - LIU's Julius Van Sauers secured the rebound off the second attempt.
Then, with just 0:03 seconds left, an overzealous Mike Holloway Jr. fouled Jashaun Agosto whom converted both free throw attempts giving the Blackbirds a 78-77 lead, and their ultimate margin of victory.
There's something to be said for having your legs under you. It has always been my understanding when you have no legs, your shot is the first to suffer. And if you consider what I'm suggesting with regard to Coach Herenda's lack of substitutions, this could have potentially factored in the Knights second half demise. They were just 16/24 from the line in the second half, and just 2/6 over the final 1:50 of the game. Kaleb also missed a layup with 0:50 left. And Noah Morgan missed from three-point range as time expired (as previously noted, Morgan was the only one to play forty minutes).
Raiquan Clark wound up leading all players with 28 points, to go along with seven boards and four assists. Joel Hernandez was the game's second leading scorer with 25 points. Julian Batts was only 3/8 from three-point territory, but his three conversions couldn't have been more timely. Jashaun Agaosto led the team with six assists.
The quest to win this season's Northeast championship now becomes a Battle of the Boroughs. Brooklyn's LIU Blackbirds will face Staten Island's number one seed Wagner Seahawks in the conference final, on Tuesday, March 6, at the Spiro Sports Center.
The teams split their regular season match-up, with both protecting home court.
- 1/13 @ Brooklyn - LIU 69; Wagner 76
- 2/17 @ Staten Island - Wagner 78; LIU 74
Fourth seeded Flatbush is vying for their sixth NEC championship. A charter member of the conference, they are the only men's program to ever win three consecutive NEC crowns (2011-2013).
The top seeded Seahawks are winners of their third ever regular season title. They captured their one and only NEC title back in 2003 over Saint Francis of Brooklyn. Wagner led the conference with a 14-4 record, and a 28-3 record overall.
BROOKLYN vs. STATEN ISLAND
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
TUESDAY
LIU BLACKBIRDS
vs.
WAGNER SEAHAWKS
FROM
Richmond County
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Under first year coach Jack Perri, the Blackbirds stumbled out of the starting bloc. As part of the season opening Barclays Center Classic, LIU lost their first four games. They followed with a five game win streak. But ended their out-of-conference schedule with another three straight losses, most notably to #8 Kentucky. They finished their out-of-conference schedule with a 5-7 record.
