HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (December 4, 2018) – After a 32-point win on Sunday, the SUNY Delhi men's basketball team were tested Monday night in a close battle at Centenary. The Broncos responded from a five-point halftime deficit to lead by as much as eight points with 5:59 remaining. It was not enough to distance themselves from the Cyclones, however, as both sides found themselves tied at 76-76 with under two minutes remaining, with a go-ahead Centenary basket with 26 seconds left deciding Delhi's 78-76 defeat. Head coach Zack Thomsen's team now stands at 4-4.
The Broncos faced their largest deficit of the game at 44-37 late in the first half, and used a pair of free throws to end the half behind just 44-39. Delhi used it as momentum to begin the second half, catching up with Centenary to tie the game at 47-47 with 14:14 to go. The men then went on an 18-10 run, capitalized by threes from William Knight and Mavenson Therneus, to hold a 65-57 lead at 5:59. But roughly one minute later, ahead 65-60, the Broncos found themselves without forwards Payton Dean and Saquan Goland, who both fouled out. In addition, Delhi committed enough fouls to put Centenary in the double bonus halfway through the closing session, where the home team converted on 7-of-11 free throws in the last 9:46.
Centenary answered back with a run of their own, which found the game back even at 68-68 with 3:27 left. Therneus put Delhi back in front with an ensuing layup, but the Cyclones' Divine Anderson responded with a triple to give the Cylcones a one-point lead. Jordan Fragale connected on consecutive layups to put the Broncos ahead, 74-71, with 2:06 to play. However, the game was tied again shortly after on Centenary's Chris Labelle's and-one layup. Fragale once again stepped up to drill a jumper to put the Broncos ahead, 76-74, with 1:34 to go, but Labelle buried a layup 11 ticks later to put the game back even. Following a possession change, Cyclone Emmanuel Doh provided what would be the game-winning layup for the home team with 26 seconds remaining. The Broncos were unable to even things up on their final possession, which prompted an intentional foul with two seconds left. Though Centenary would miss both free throws, all Delhi could do was throw up a three-quarter heave that fell wide of the mark.
Fragale and Knight both led the Broncos with 18 points, with Fragale logging a double-double with 12 assists. After a string of games nearly totaling a double-double, Dean earned his first in five games with 11 points and 12 boards. Therneus finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Daoud totaled eight points with eight rebounds.
The Broncos finished 40.0 percent shooting from the floor (30-for-75) and 6-of-19 from 3-point range, while Centenary fared 43.1 percent (28-for-65) and 10-of-27, respectively. Delhi made 10-of-16 free throws to the Cyclones' 12-of-22, and led, 48-43, on the boards and 18-4 in points off turnovers, forcing the home team into 15 turnovers.
After two games in as many days, Coach Thomsen's crew has a few days of break time before gearing up for two road games to end the week. They head to Sage on Thursday for a 7:00 p.m. contest, followed by a road meeting at Houghton on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
