By AJ Chasan
MONTCLAIR, NJ-
Down 19 at halftime to an inferior opponent, sitting comfortably at third place in the NJAC heading into tonight, what would you do as a player on the Red Hawks? Fight or roll over? Most would just pack it in and say we’ll see you at home Stockton on Saturday. But this group is different. They fought, and won tonight on the road at Bradley Center versus Ramapo 85-79 in overtime.
There have been many great wins for this year’s men’s basketball team over the course of the season. This one was by far the best. Coming into tonight’s game, the Red Hawks were the heavy favorite on the fact that they were seven games up on the Roadrunners before tonight’s contest. No game is easy, but on paper this was one of those games that you pencil in the win column without thinking about it.
Coach Potts’ group however, does not have this mentality. Every game is played with the same amount of intensity regardless of the opponent. Shots just weren’t falling early. Montclair through the first half shot under 30 percent from three. With how three point centric their offense is, it wasn’t shocking after looking at the numbers why they only put up 21 points through the first 20 minutes.
But with this never say die mentality Potts has instilled in his team, they stayed the course. They stuck to their identity and eventually shots started falling. No bigger than Kieran Flanagan’s three ball with three seconds left on the clock to send the game into overtime. Flanagan gave his team on this shot a chance at new life, his teammates capitalized on the lifeline.
These types of games are what defines teams come tournament time. Being able to overcome adversity and win when not at your best. Tonight cemented one thing that this group has been telling the NJAC all season long…they’re coming, and they’re for real.
Photo by Matt DeLuca
