MONTCLAIR, NJ — For a half, it felt like Montclair State had the formula.
The Red Hawks had the crowd behind them inside Panzer Athletic Center, the three-point shot was falling, and one of the best seasons in program history looked ready to continue for at least another round. But as Friday night wore on, Maine-Farmington steadily found control of the game where it mattered most, in the paint, on the glass, and in the closing minutes, as the Beavers pulled away late for a 96-84 victory over No. 10 Montclair State in the first round of the 2025-26 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The loss ended a memorable season for Montclair State, which finished 25-3 after setting a new program record for wins and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons. It was a difficult ending for a group that had spent the winter rewriting the standard for success, but Maine-Farmington showed exactly why it entered the tournament as a dangerous opponent, shooting 54 percent from the field, scoring 42 points in the paint, and placing four players in double figures.
For long stretches, though, this looked like the kind of game that could swing either way.
Montclair came out firing from deep, which has so often been its offensive identity this season. After Maine-Farmington opened the night with the game’s first three-pointer, Kabrien Goss answered on the other end, and a little later Ryan Cassels buried a triple from the wing to give the Red Hawks an early 7-5 lead with 17:39 left in the first half. That advantage did not last long. Maine-Farmington immediately answered with a 9-0 burst, sparked by Zach McLaughlin’s aggressive drives and a three from Kory Donlin, to move in front 14-7.
The early stages established what the rest of the night would look like: runs, counters, and very little breathing room.
Montclair stopped that first surge when Kunga Tsering knocked down a three-pointer to cut into the deficit, and the Red Hawks soon produced one of their best stretches of the night. Behind quick ball movement and confident perimeter shooting, Montclair ripped off a 12-0 run in just over two minutes. Jacob Morales started it with a three, Christian Cevis followed with one of his own, Morales hit again from long range, and Goss capped the burst with another triple to put Montclair ahead 22-16 with 11:33 still to play in the opening half.
It was the sort of sequence that energized the building and reminded everyone why Montclair had won 25 games. The Red Hawks were sharing the ball, forcing turnovers, and making Maine-Farmington pay on the perimeter. But every time it appeared the home team was ready to seize control, the Beavers answered.
Maine-Farmington responded with the next 10 points to reclaim a 26-22 lead, leaning on Jason Reynolds and McLaughlin to settle the game. Morales, who was Montclair’s most dangerous offensive player all night, cut the deficit to one with another three, and Mason Thear tied the game at 28 with a long-distance make of his own midway through the half.
From there, the Red Hawks pieced together another momentum swing. Andrew Martin converted an and-one opportunity at the 6:09 mark to put Montclair back in front, and Goss followed with back-to-back three-pointers that stretched the lead to 37-28. At that moment, Panzer was alive and Montclair had its largest lead of the evening.
Again, Maine-Farmington weathered it.
A quick 7-0 counter pulled the Beavers right back within one possession, showing off the offensive balance that would eventually carry them through the second half. Montclair still managed to close the half well. Cristian Nicholson attacked the rim for a layup in the final two minutes, then Morales knocked down another three-pointer with 52 seconds left to push the lead to seven. Maine-Farmington scored the last basket of the half, but Montclair still took a 44-39 advantage into the break.
At halftime, the numbers told an interesting story. Montclair had hit 12 of its 24 attempts from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes, a blistering 50 percent clip, and had built that lead despite Maine-Farmington already showing signs of control inside. The visitors were getting cleaner looks around the basket and were winning the rebounding battle, but Montclair’s perimeter shot-making had been enough to offset it.
That balance changed after intermission.
The Red Hawks opened the second half in encouraging fashion. Morales came up with a steal on Maine-Farmington’s first possession, and Myles Primas converted the transition opportunity into a layup that pushed the lead back to seven. But what looked like a chance for Montclair to establish a firm cushion quickly turned into the beginning of Maine-Farmington’s second-half takeover.
The Beavers answered with a 12-2 run over the next three and a half minutes, turning a seven-point deficit into a 51-48 lead. Gabe Michaud was especially effective during that stretch, finishing in the lane and helping Maine-Farmington settle into a more inside-out rhythm offensively. Reynolds continued to be a major factor on the glass and around the basket, and Montclair’s early second-half composure suddenly gave way to a scramble.
Still, the Red Hawks kept responding.
Tsering provided a spark off the bench with a transition layup and then a powerful dunk that put Montclair back in front 54-53. Goss added another three-pointer at the 13:30 mark, giving the Red Hawks a 57-53 lead and briefly restoring order. Even as Maine-Farmington threatened, Montclair was still hanging around through shot-making and timely effort plays.
But as the half moved past its midpoint, the Beavers began imposing their style more consistently.
After Ahmad Robertson’s tip-in gave Montclair a 63-60 lead with 10:18 remaining, Maine-Farmington answered with a three from Brayden St. Pierre to tie the game. That basket was part of a stretch that changed the night. The Beavers scored nine of the next 11 points to turn a tie game into a 72-65 lead, getting a pair of layups from McLaughlin and another huge three from St. Pierre. Every Montclair miss or empty possession seemed to fuel Maine-Farmington’s confidence, and the visitors were suddenly the more composed team.
The Red Hawks had chances to stay within striking distance. Robertson drilled a three-pointer with 7:48 left to cut the deficit to 72-68, and Morales hit another from deep with 6:07 remaining to bring Montclair within 75-71. Cevis added a three at the 4:39 mark that trimmed the gap to five, 79-74, and gave the home side another flicker of hope.
But each time Montclair threatened to make it a one-possession game, Maine-Farmington had the answer.
McLaughlin scored on a layup to restore a seven-point cushion. Donlin later hit two free throws after a Montclair miss to make it 83-74 with just over three minutes left. Robertson knocked down another three to cut it to six, but Reynolds buried a backbreaking three-pointer with 1:23 on the clock to push the Beavers’ lead to 86-77. From there, Maine-Farmington closed the game at the foul line and capitalized on Montclair mistakes in the final minute, turning what had been a tense contest into a 12-point final margin.
It was a frustrating finish for the Red Hawks because so much of the game had been within reach. Montclair forced 18 Maine-Farmington turnovers and converted them into 19 points. The Red Hawks also got 28 points from their bench and had stretches where their perimeter shooting carried them. But the underlying numbers tilted heavily toward the visitors in the areas that often decide tournament games.
Maine-Farmington dominated the boards, 46-32, with Reynolds alone grabbing 21 rebounds to go with his 25 points. The Beavers outscored Montclair 42-20 in the paint and shot an outstanding 61.3 percent from the field in the second half. While Montclair made 18 three-pointers, the Red Hawks also shot just 38.7 percent overall and 61.5 percent at the free throw line. Once the outside shooting cooled after halftime, it became more difficult to keep up with Maine-Farmington’s efficiency inside.
Morales was the clear bright spot offensively for Montclair. The senior guard finished with a game-high 26 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including 5-for-10 from beyond the arc, while also grabbing seven rebounds. He repeatedly delivered big shots whenever Montclair needed a response and kept the Red Hawks afloat during several Maine-Farmington pushes. Goss added 15 points and knocked down five three-pointers of his own, while Robertson chipped in 10 points off the bench. Nicholson had only two points, but his eight assists helped drive the offense and marked the sixth time this season he reached at least that total.
For Maine-Farmington, it was a balanced and relentless effort. Reynolds led the way with 25 points and 21 rebounds, controlling the interior for much of the night. McLaughlin added 20 points, St. Pierre scored 17, and Michaud had 14 on an efficient 6-for-7 shooting performance. The Beavers consistently found ways to score at the rim, whether in transition, off second efforts, or by attacking Montclair’s defense in the half court.
In the end, that steady interior presence was the difference.
For Montclair State, the result will sting because of what this team had built. The Red Hawks were not just a tournament qualifier. They were a record-setting team that won 25 games, captured attention all season, and gave the program another significant postseason moment in front of their home crowd. Friday night did not provide the ending they wanted, but it did not erase what the group accomplished over the course of the year.
The NCAA Tournament can be cruel that way. One night can bring a season full of progress to a sudden stop. On Friday, Montclair showed the same shot-making, toughness, and resilience that defined much of its season. But Maine-Farmington was sharper down the stretch, stronger on the glass, and more efficient when the pressure rose.
So the final image of the Red Hawks’ season will be a painful one: a home floor, a tournament crowd, and a first-round exit that arrived too soon. Still, the broader picture remains significant. Montclair State finished with the most wins in program history, reached the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years, and continued to establish itself as one of the strongest programs in Division III basketball.
Friday night belonged to Maine-Farmington. But the season Montclair produced should still be remembered for much more than the last score.
