BLOOMFIELD, N.J. - The Bears men's basketball team, led by Nick Davidson (Lumberton, N.J.) and Claude Blue (Brooklyn, N.Y.), remained on top of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division with an 89-78 victory over Concordia College Wednesday evening at the Bloomfield Gym. The sophomore and senior tandem combined for forty-four points as Bloomfield improved to 10-11 on the season and a 9-5 record in league play. The Clippers sank to 10-13 on the year, including a 7-7 mark in conference matches.

Davidson shot 50.0 percent from the floor (9-18 FG) and netted 6-for-7 from the line for 24 points while Blue recorded 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the floor and 4-for-4 from the line. Sophomore Rakwan Kelly (Newark, N.J.) poured in his first career double-double with 11 points (5-14 FG. 1-4 FT) and 10 rebounds while classmate, Juan Brown (Annapolis, M.D.) went for 10 points (3-6 FG, 2-5 3-FG, 2-2 FT), four assists and three steals. Freshman Safee Abdus-Sabur (Newark, N.J.) rounded out the Bears top scorers with ten points and chipped in six boards.
 
Concordia saw a career-best performance from game-high scorer, Peter Aguilar who clawed out 32 points against the Bears.
 
Davidson, Blue and Kelly began the first half with buckets to spot Bloomfield a 6-0 advantage in the game's opening two and a half minutes. An Aguilar shot from beyond the arc chipped the visitor's deficit to one at the 11:54 before Concordia took their first lead at 17-16 on the next possession. Davidson cut that lead short as he helped the Bears responded with five straight points and the home team never trailed for the rest of the contest, closing out the half up 40-32. Bloomfield owned the glass in the first half, 26-15 including nine on the offensive side to control the momentum heading into the locker room.
 
 
In the second half Aguilar converted a traditional three-point play to pull his squad within four (50-46) just under five minutes but Bloomfield countered with a 15-6 run to open up a 65-52 advantage at the 11:20 minute mark. Aguilar netted Concordia's next two buckets but the Bears imposed their will and extended their lead to 76-56 after a Brown basket from long range with 7:35 remaining. Aguilar sank two free throws moments later to bring the deficit under twenty but Abdus-Sabur buried back-to-back three-pointers to balloon the home team's advantage to the largest of the evening (84-60) and bring the crowd to their feet.
 
In the closing minutes the Clippers used an 11-2 run to bring the score to 88-78, but the Bears would not allow them to get any closer as the CACC North Division leader avenged an earlier season loss and sealed the victory.
 
Concordia edged the Bears in shooting, 49.2 percent (30-61) to 47.2 percent (34-72) but Bloomfield posted a 46.2 percent (6-13) to 30.8 percent (8-26) advantage from long distance. Although the Clippers shot a higher percentage from the line (76.9% – 71.4%) the Bears sank more free throws (15) than the visitors attempted (13). The glass went the home team's way at 41-36 along with the scoring in the paint, 46-36 and Bloomfield forced 22 Concordia mistakes that translated into 26 points.
 
Next up for the top team in the CACC North will be Georgian Court on Saturday, Feb 6. The Bears will be celebrating 'Take A Kid to the Game' day and also their Lions, Tigers and Bears Oh My Toy Drive. Anyone donating a new teddy bear with the tag still on it will receive free admission into the 3:00 pm game. We encourage your support as we donate stuffed animals to children at local hospitals with the goal of making their stay more comfortable as well as lifting their spirits during the healing process.
 
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