Jersey City, N.J. – Stockton University (1-3) used a late 13-2 run to take a 65-61 lead with 1:19 remaining but then surrendered the last six points of the game and fell to New Jersey City (3-1) 67-65 on a jumper by Denzel Banks at the buzzer.
DJ Campbell (Vineland/Vineland) paced the Ospreys with game highs of 20 points and five assists. Campbell shot 5-10 (50%) from three-point range in the contest.
Rynell Lawrence (Millville/Millville) chipped in with 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Lawrence was a perfect 7-7 at the free throw line.
Kyion Flanders (Wildwood/Wildwood) did a little bit of everything, finishing with nine points, a game-high six steals, four rebounds and four assists.
Baskets were hard to come by in the first half, with both teams shooting under 30 percent from the floor. After falling behind 9-0, Stockton fought back to tie the game three times before going to the break down by one, 33-32.
Eighteen of Stockton's 32 points came on six three-pointers, including two each by Campbell and
Tariq Baker (Brooklyn, NY/St. Anthony (NJ)). Campbell (9 points) and Baker (7 points) were the top scorers for the Ospreys in the half.
After four lead changes in the second half, NJCU opened up a seven-point lead with 6:11 remaining. Stockton answered with a 13-2 run, sparked by five points from Campbell. The sophomore capped the comeback by going back door for a layup that put the Ospreys ahead 65-61 with 1:19 to play.
The Gothic Knights battled back with the next four points for a 65-65 tie at the 37-second mark. Stockton tried to burn some clock before attempting to score the go-ahead basket, but the Ospreys committed a shot clock violation with 5.9 seconds on the clock.
On the inbounds, NJCU pushed the ball upcourt and fed Banks, whose jumper from the right wing swished through the net just as time expired to deal Stockton the 67-65 setback.
Stockton's next two-game set will be against Rutgers-Camden on February 19-20, with the Scarlet Raptors hosting the Ospreys on Friday night at 7 p.m.
