MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Seven straight wins over The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). But none as big as this.
On Senior Night, in front of their home crowd, the Montclair State University men’s basketball team didn’t just add another win – but were able to clinch the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) regular season title for the first time in since 1982.
Montclair State will now enter the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed after its 84-70 win over TCNJ.
Head coach Justin Potts emphasized that his team is striving for more than a regular season title.
“We talk about ‘how good can we be by the time the journey’s over?’ and the journey isn’t over,” said head coach Justin Potts. “So we still have room to grow. We try to keep them focused on that, you know, tell them to enjoy it. They should enjoy it. They put a lot of work into it, but there’s still a lot left to be done.”
Montclair State set the tone early and came out firing in the first half, hitting nine three-pointers to build an early lead. Junior Guard Ryan Cassels hit a deep three in the first four minutes, setting the tone for the Red Hawks.
TCNJ then responded with a 7-0 run, grabbing a nine-point lead midway through the first half.
Junior forward Jacob Morales and senior guard Mike Jackson began to shine, leading the team with a combined 23 first-half points, while senior guard Kieran Flanagan controlled the tempo with three assists and two steals.
Senior guard Mike Jackson added 15 points and seven rebounds. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
Freshman guard Kabrien Goss buried another triple to tie the game. Ahmad Robertson tied the score at 27, leading the way for a Red Hawk run.
Late in the half, TCNJ cut the game to five. Montclair State responded by creating a nine-point cushion. The Lions banked a half-court buzzer, sending the teams into the locker room with Montclair leading 47-38.
TCNJ cut the lead to five early in the second half, but Morales didn’t let the Lions get comfortable for very long by responding with a deep three and igniting a Montclair 20-2 run over the next six minutes.
The energy in Panzer exploded when Myles Primas threw a dunk with 8:48 left, furthering Montclair State’s momentum. Flanagan said that the home crowd played a major role in the victory.
“Having the crowd behind us, it’s great,” Flanagan said. “When we go on runs, they’re always there to support, and if we’re taking some punches from other teams if we’re getting hit, they’re there to support us and help us get back on the right side of the floor.”
Morales expanded his electric night and finished with 25 points, 9-of-15 shooting (5-9 from three), while Mike Jackson added 15 points and seven rebounds.
Junior forward Jacob Morales finished with 25 points and 9-of-15 shooting (5-9 from three) | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
Potts compared his team’s approach to playing games like a heavyweight boxing match.
“We call it a 10-round fight – five rounds in the first, five in the second. So I usually just try to check them there and say, ‘Hey, here’s where we’re at in the round,” Potts said. “We got to flip it, we got to get stops, and the guys do a great job of figuring it out.”
TCNJ made one final attempt, cutting the score to 14 with 3 minutes to go, but it was too little, too late as the Red Hawks were able to seal it.
Before the game began, Montclair honored its seven seniors: Flanagan, Jackson, Quantavious Rogers, Henry Meyers, Grant Holbrook, Francisco Paulino, and Luis Armas.
Flanagan said that the Red Hawks are more than a college basketball team; they are a foundation for the players’ futures.
“Being in the program for five years helped me learn a lot of what I’m gonna have to do outside of this, outside of the basketball world,” said Flanagan. “And I think I’m ready. The coaches do a great job just teaching us life lessons each day.”
The Red Hawks will have home-court advantage throughout the NJAC Tournament. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
Despite the great outcome for the Red Hawks, Potts’ message to the team remains clear: lock in for the upcoming NJAC Tournament.
“I think mostly just try to keep them focused,” Potts said. “They get a chance to get some rest, obviously, get off their feet, but you got to continue to do, do the things we’ve been doing, and work on those things. And this group understands that. They have a ton of experience, and I think they’ll be able to handle it.”
