BLOOMFIELD, NJ (February 10, 2011) – The men's basketball team improved to 14-7 on the season in decisive fashion Wednesday evening, as they steamrolled the Concordia College Clippers in a 116-79 victory. The win moved the Deacons to 14-7 overall, and kept them atop the CACC North Division standings.
It was a ruthlessly efficient performance by the Deacons offensive attack, the 116 points the third-highest regular season total in the Division II era of the CACC. Bloomfield stormed out to a 20-8 advantage to start the night, forcing the Clippers into a frenzied pace they would prove unable to maintain.
The Deacons engineered their most potent half of basketball in the 2010-2011 season, shooting an even 60% from the field and 8-16 from beyond the arc to total a staggering 63 points. The result was a 63-39 halftime advantage, highlighted by 15 points from senior guard Gage Daye and 13 points off the bench from rookie Steve Henderson. Bloomfield took a 63-39 advantage into the break, effectively squashing any hopes of a Concordia comeback.
The historic offensive performance continued in the final 20 minutes of action, as the Deacons connected on six of their 11 three-point attempts and shot 49% from the field notch a 53-point frame. The Clippers were unable to mount a serious push, the Bloomfield onslaught simply impossible to match. The Deacons finished the evening 14-27 from three as a unit, their finest shooting performance from long-range of the season.
Daye finished as the leading scorer with 31 points and a 7-9 effort from three, but the balanced attack would be the most impressive accomplishment on this night for the North Division's top team. Five Bloomfield players reached double-figures, with 10 players tallying at least one point in the win.
Henderson finished his night with 21 points, and Matt Wafula netted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Ahmad Harris continued his outstanding all-around play, totaling 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Art Ellis came off the bench to tally 12 points and four rebounds in the victory.
For Concordia, Brandon Whitaker led the Clippers with 25 points. Jared Smith was the second Concordia player in double-figures, totaling 11 points.
“We shot the ball extremely well tonight,” Bloomfield head coach Gerald Holmes said. “This is what we are capable of when everything clicks. We now know we can put together this type of game, so we now have a goal to shoot for every time we step on the court.”
Bloomfield returns to action Saturday, February 12 with a home contest against CACC South Division foe Philadelphia University. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
