Widener Claims ECAC DIII Men's Basketball Championship

3/4/2018 4:03:45 PM

Chris Megginson

By Chris Megginson

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Widener University capitalized on a 25-point game from Elijah Boyd (Germantown, Md.) and double-double from Tournament MVP Saradayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) to hold off the Neumann Knights in the second half Sunday to claim the ECAC Division III Men’s Basketball Championship hosted by Wilkes University.

From opening tip, the game lived up to the billing of a championship bout, as the Neumann Knights and Widener Pride swapped leads nine times and tied six times through the first half. Widener held the edge at halftime, 41-40.

The Pride widened its lead to seven points, 47-40, to open the second half – the largest lead so far by either team in the game. Neumann answered by scoring eight-straight to take a 48-47 lead, before Widener bounced back in front.

After Neumann’s Jaquan Johnson (Chester, Pa.) tied it, 51-51, on a 3-point play, Ryan McMahon (Mount Laurel, N.J.) pushed the Pride back in front, 57-51, with a pair of baskets and a steal, which led to a bucket. That lead grew to as many as 10 points, 67-57, before Neumann began fought back to make it a one-possession game, 72-70, on a 3 and layup by Raquan Brown-Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa.) with just under three minutes to play.

The Pride (19-10) continued to score down the stretch, with Sambo capping the game with a layup to finish with a double-double 16 points and 15 rebounds. Sam Smith (Wyomissing, Pa.) and Connor Laverty (Upper Township, N.J.) followed with 13 and 10 points, respectively for the Pride. Laverty also had 10 rebounds to complete a double-double.

Brown-Johnson led Neumann with 18 points, while Isaiah Wilmore (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Aaron Johnson-Chavis (Philadelpha, Pa.) followed 14 apiece. Tyaire Hudson (Wilmington, Del.) had 13 points for the Knights, which finish their season with a 23-9 record.

All-Tournament Team
Sardayah Sambo, Widener - MVP
Elijah Boyd, Widener
Sam Smith, Widener
Raquan Brown-Johnson, Neumann
Tyaire Hudson, Neumann
Jonathon Smith, Medaille