Devils Drop Playoff Game to Lightning: USciences

March 1, 2011

Devils Drop Playoff Game to Lightning

The University of the Sciences men's basketball team saw their 2010-11 season come to a close Tuesday night as Goldey-Beacom College used a late rally to defeat the Devils 69-64 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Quarterfinal game at the Joseph West Jones Center in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Devils finish the season with a 12-13 record, a +6 improvement over their 2009-10 record of 7-20. Goldey Beacom improves to 18-10 and advances to the CACC semi-finals to face Post University on Friday.

Sophomore guard Will Kernan (The Lawrenceville School/Medford, N.J.) led the Devils with 23 points (7-15 FG, 9-12 FT). Senior forward Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Patrick Connaghan (Chestnut Hill Academy/Warrington, Pa.) added nine rebounds.

Sam McDuffie came off the bench to score 24 points to lead the Lightning attack. Terrance Parkes added 15 points and 11 rebounds and Azeez Ellegood chipped in 13 points and a game-high three assists.

The Lightning jumped out to nine point first half lead (15-6) which dwindled down to one 28-27 thanks in part to a 15-3 spurt by the Devils over a 5:30 period late in the half, with Kernan getting eight of the 15 points. A 13-6 spurt to begin the second half gave the Devils a 40-34 advantage. A lay-up by Adefemi increased the spread to 48-41 with 9:31 left, but McDuffie sank four straight free throws to trigger a game-defining, 19-4 tear that put the Lightning on top, 60-53 with 3:49 remaining. The Devils inched within 65-62 on a pair of free throws by Kernan with 27 seconds to go. Ellegood countered with two of his own to help seal the win for the Lightning.

GBC advances to the semi-finals with the win mainly due to more 3-point firepower (9-20 to 1-11). Outside of that phase of the game, USciences was the better team, outscoring its hosts in the paint (36-14), winning the glass (37-33) and turning it over less frequently (12-19). Both sides shot 40% for the game and the Lightning handed out twice as many assists (10-5).

With the loss, Adefemi closed out his career in a Devils uniform. He finishes with 1,429 career points (12^th best on the Devils all time list); 862 career rebounds (4^th best all-time); 8.4 rebs/game average (4^th best all time); 506 defensive rebounds (tied for 3^rd best all time); 356 offensive rebounds (all-time leader); 105 steals (tied for 10^th best all-time) and 53 blocked shots (16^th best all-time). 'Wale played in 103 games.