Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (18-8) used a balanced scoring attack and fended off a game Rowan University (15-12) squad for a 96-82 win in the NJAC Tournament semifinals. Freshman DJ Campbell (Vineland/Vineland) led six Ospreys in double figures with 18 points. The game featured eight ties and nine lead changes.
 
No lead was safe during the hard-fought contest as both squads put on runs to grab short-lived advantages. The Profs held serve until Stockton grabbed their first lead at 18-17 on a Rynell Lawrence (Millville/Millville) three-pointer at 12:02 of the first half. Lawrence scored again for a 20-17 margin before Rowan answered.
 
The Profs ran off seven straight points for a 31-24 lead but Stockton responded with nine unanswered markers to reclaim the lead at 33-31 with 3:43 remaining in the half. Jonathan Azoroh (Ewing/Ewing) came off the bench and potted a pair of hoops on two Lawrence assists for a four-point margin. Stockton upped the lead to five on a Campbell three-ball at 40-35 with 1:54 left.
 
The Ospreys ended the frantic 20 minutes with a 42-39 lead. Lawrence led the team with nine points and three helpers while Othniel Nyamekye (Irvington/Irvington) added eight counters and six rebounds.
 
The Ospreys tried to put the game away to start the second period, scoring six straight points for a 48-39 lead, forcing Rowan into a timeout. Once again the Profs answered, closing the gap and finally retaking the lead at 64-63 at 12:29. Stockton battled back to knot the game on an Azoroh basket at the 10:04 mark as the squads traded baskets over the next three minutes.
 
With the score knotted for the last time at 71-71 with 7:05 remaining in regulation, the Ospreys were able to put some distance between the two teams. Campbell started the run with a basket, then Kadian Dawkins (Eastampton/Rancocas Valley) nailed a three-pointer for a 76-71 margin at 5:56.
 
Stockton slowly increased the advantage as the Ospreys made 13 of 16 foul shots in the last 4:07 to set the final score at 96-82.
 
Campbell was a perfect 6-6 from the foul line and topped all players with three steals. Flanders added 15 markers and four assists while Dawkins chipped in with 13 markers. Nyamekye posted his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, with Lawrence setting career highs of 11 points and four assists.  
 
Jordan Taylor (East Orange/Cicely Tyson) rounded out the double-digit scorers for Stockton with 10 points and added nine boards to his total. The Ospreys dished 19 assists on their 35 baskets on the night.
 
Rowan was led by Jerry Price with a game-high 28 points. Teammates Austin Kearney scored 18, with Diante Bah and Maliq Sanders registering double-doubles, Bah scored 11 points with 10 rebounds, while Sanders also scored 11 markers and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
 
Stockton, the number two seed, will travel to Ewing, NJ to face top-seeded The College of New Jersey on Saturday night. The game will be for the NJAC championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Game time is set for 7 pm.