Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University (0-1) fell victim to cold second-half shooting and dropped a 74-62 decision to Salisbury (2-1) on Tuesday night. Tariq Baker (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Anthony's) led the Ospreys with 17 points in the team's season opener.
 
The Sea Gulls started out scoring the first five points of the game before Kyion Flanders (Wildwood/Wildwood) answered with five points of his own to knot the game early. The Ospreys pushed out to a 21-16 lead with 7:42 to play in the first half, forcing the visitors into a timeout.
 
The Sea Gulls then scored six of the next seven points to tie the contest at 22-22. With the score tied for the seventh time in the half at 29 points apiece, Stockton ran off on a 10-6 run to take a 39-35 lead with 53 seconds left in the half. A pair of three-pointers by Baker and three fouls shots by Flanders spurred the run. Salisbury potted the last five points of the half to take a 40-39 lead at the break.
 
Salisbury began the second half by jumping out on an 8-3 run to stretch their advantage to 48-42 before Stockton responded. A 10-0 spurt, including three-pointers by Baker and Luciano Lubrano (Ocean City/Ocean City) and a basket by Steve Ferebee (Galloway/Absegami) gave the Ospreys a 52-48 margin.
 
The advantage stretched to 58-50 as the streak extended to a 16-2 run with 10:39 remaining before the Stockton shooters hit a cold spell. A monster 24-1 run by the Gulls over the next 9:07 put the game away as the Ospreys could not make a shot. A three-pointer by Jordan Taylor (East Orange/Cicely Tyson) stopped the run with 31 seconds left in the game to set the final score at 74-62 in favor of Salisbury.
 
Flanders was the only other Osprey in double figures with 11 markers. Lubrano pulled down six rebounds while Kadian Dawkins (Eastampton/Rancocas Valley) tied his career high with five rebounds and dished five assists.
 
Salisbury had four players in doubles figures led by Gary Briddell with 16 points, Devin Garrett scored 15 points and led all players with nine rebounds. John Fierstein and Mike Ward tallied 13 and 11 points respectively.
 
Stockton will play in the Stockton Tip-Off Tournament this weekend, with their first game against St. Joseph's-Brooklyn on Friday at 6 pm. Cabrini and Albright are also playing in the tournament and will face each other at 8 pm.