BLOOMFIELD, NJ (February 7, 2011) - The men's basketball team improved to 13-7 overall and 10-2 in CACC play Monday evening, as they rolled to an 86-45 home victory over North Division rival Nyack College.
Three Bloomfield players finished the evening in double figures, but the night belonged to junior point guard Ahmad Harris, who turned one of the most extraordinary single-game performances of the 2010-2011 season.
Those who have seen the Deacons play since Harris manned the starting point guard position in 2008 have become accustomed to his suffocating defense and the relentless nature with which he attacks the game. A casual look at a Bloomfield box score doesn't do the Linden, NJ native's skills justice: Take in a Deacons contest, and you'll see his impact on a game at both ends of the floor goes far beyond the measurable postgame statistics.
But on this night, his impact resulted in both a dominant Bloomfield victory and a final line rivaling any of the top performances in Division II basketball this season. The 5'9 floor general netted 15 points, a game and career-high 20 rebounds, eight assists and a pair of steals, finishing just two helpers shy of his first career triple-double.
“Ahmad was simply unbelievable tonight,” Bloomfield head coach Gerald Holmes said. “A lot of times the stats don't do what he does justice. He's in the paint out-rebounding guys that are 6'6. The impact he can have on a game at both ends of the floor is incredible, and he showed that tonight.”
After nearly averaging a triple-double in Bloomfield's two-game stretch last week, Harris continued his streak of hot play from the opening tip in Monday night's contest. Slashing through the paint and corralling nearly every stray shot, Harris notched 10 points and 11 rebounds in the opening half and helped the Deacons mount a 34-26 advantage heading into the break.
It was more of the same in the final 20 minutes of action, as Bloomfield put any hopes of a Nyack comeback to bed with an emphatic 19-2 run to begin the half. The home team cruised the rest of the way, the Deacons picking up the season sweep of the Warriors and beginning a new homecourt winning streak.
Senior guard Ryan Rodrigues led all scorers in the contest, notching 21 points and finishing the night 5-11 from beyond the arc. Gage Daye totaled 11 points and nine rebounds to round out the double-figure scorers, while Kevin Udo came off the bench to provide a solid four-point, nine-rebound, four-block effort.
The Deacons return to action Wednesday, February 9 with a home CACC contest against North Division rival Concordia College. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM.
