In this game, there was a lot on the line, as the William Paterson University women’s basketball team was looking to officially clinch the No. 1 seed for the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoffs. On the other side, New Jersey City University (NJCU) was fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive as one more loss would significantly lower their chances of qualifying for the NJAC playoffs.
The first score of this game came from the Pioneers’ star forward Renee Wells, as she made a pull-up midrange jumper. From that point on, NJCU would build a sizable lead on William Paterson. With jumpers from Meghan Gentile, Na’tori Postell, and Autumn John.
John would deliver a long pull-up mid-range jumper, giving NJCU a 12-5 lead. Forcing the Pioneers’ head coach, Erin Monahan, to call a timeout. As her frustration with her team’s slow start to the game was written all over her face and body language.
After the timeout, Gentile would quickly convert a pull-up three in transition, extending NJCU’s lead to 15-5. William Paterson would respond as Megan Sears after getting an offensive rebound, would make the putback layup despite getting fouled, and make the free throw to deliver a three-point play. Sears would again get an offensive rebound, then she passed it to Jada Jacobs, who swung to Wells, and she went on to make a catch-and-shoot three-pointer.
After being down 15-5 at one point during the first quarter, the Pioneers had cut NJCU’s lead to only 15-13 going into the second quarter.
The second quarter would be dominated by William Paterson all the way through. Kaylen Gowdy started off this quarter making an and-one layup, and the free throw, giving the Pioneers their first lead of this contest. Mattison Chiera attacked John off the dribble and, with her speed, created just enough space to make a driving layup.
Gowdy, after stealing a pass, pushed in transition and hit an open Luna Kirby in the left corner for a three-pointer. To cap off the quarter, Chiera missed a layup, but Menna Hafiz secured the offensive rebound and made the putback layup. This extended the Pioneers’ lead to 36-24 going into halftime. The Pioneers ended up outscoring NJCU 23-9 in the second quarter.
In the third quarter for William Paterson, it would be the Chiera show as she scored nine points in the quarter. Throughout the quarter, she would make multiple good cuts off the ball to free herself up for open layups. In addition to hitting a three-pointer in the left corner after receiving a skip pass from Jacobs.
Despite the hot shooting from Chiera, NJCU kept pace with the Pioneers due to the scoring of Gentile. The sophomore guard gave William Paterson buckets in a multitude of ways, whether that be pull-up three pointers, floaters, or getting to the free-throw line.
Gentile scored 12 points in the third, leading to NJCU outscoring the Pioneers 23-22 this quarter. But it wasn’t enough to put a big dent in William Paterson’s lead as they went into the fourth quarter with a 58-47 lead.
Gentile would deliver the first points of the fourth quarter with a pull-up three, cutting the Pioneers’ lead to 58-50. Wells responded quickly with a cutting layup. After an off-ball defensive foul by Chiera, Monahan called a timeout as they led 60-50. Hoping to give her team energy for a final push to put NJCU out of the game completely.
William Paterson would deliver that final push, outscoring NJCU 23-15 for the rest of the game. The Pioneers would secure a 83-65 victory, hand NJCU their third straight loss, and significantly lower the Gothic Knights’ chances of qualifying for the NJAC playoffs. The Pioneers clinched the No. 1 seed for the NJAC playoffs, advancing to a 21-1 overall record, and a 15-0 record in NJAC conference play.
