Huntingdon, PA – Stockton University (6-4) equaled its highest point total in a regulation game this season but it was not enough as the Ospreys were outscored 84-80 by Randolph College (VA) (6-6) in the championship of the Comfort Inn Juniata College Holiday Tournament.
Tariq Baker (Brooklyn, NY/St. Anthony's) and
Jordan Taylor (East Orange/Cicely Tyson) were selected to the All-Tournament Team. Baker led six Ospreys in double figures with 18 points. The sophomore went 4-8 from three-point range. Taylor tossed in 13 points and tied his career high from yesterday with eight rebounds.
Keenan Williams Jr. (Paulsboro/Paulsboro) also scored 13 markers and dished a game-high six assists.
Steve Ferebee (Galloway/Absegami) notched a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Brandon Hamilton (Camden/Paulsboro) and
Kyion Flanders (Wildwood/Wildwood) finished with 10 points apiece as well.
Stockton shot a solid 11-27 (40.7%) from three-point range but could not keep pace as Randolph went a torrid 13-22 (59.1%) from beyond the arc and 24-44 (54.5%) from the field overall. The Ospreys struggled at the line as they shot just 9-17 (52.9%) and were outscored 23-9 at the stripe in a four-point loss.
Stockton trailed 36-23 with 5:24 left in the first half before going on a 13-6 run that closed the gap to six before a Randolph basket with 22 seconds left closed the scoring in the period with the Ospreys trailing 44-36. Taylor scored 10 first-half points and Flanders added eight to keep Stockton within striking distance despite 58.3 percent shooting (7-12) by Randolph from three-point range.
The Ospreys tied the game twice in the second half before finally taking their only lead of the night at 67-66 on a layup by Ferebee with 6:59 remaining. The edge was short-lived as Randolph answered with a three-pointer to go back on top 69-67. Baker tied it 69-69 with two free throws but the WildCats scored the next five points for a 74-69 count.
Stockton got as close as 75-74 on a Hamilton layup with 2:33 on the clock. Randolph then scored the six straight points as the Ospreys missed their next five field goal attempts. The result was an insurmountable 81-74 deficit in the final minute that was too much to overcome, and Stockton suffered the 84-80 setback.
Stockton will have a week off before playing in the Randolph-Macon Coaches Tournament on December 28-29. The Ospreys will face fellow New Jersey school Drew University in the first round at 5 pm on December 28.
