NJAC NEWS ARCHIVE

 2002-03

March 26, 2003


NJAC SENIOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-STARS
 TOP SENIOR CUNY ALL-STARS,  78-69


KEAN'S GADSDEN NAMED MVP IN CONFERENCE'S SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY


Kean University guard Crystal Gasden scored 14 points and handed out seven assists as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s All-Stars defeated the CUNY Athletic Conference All-Stars, 78-69 in the 2nd Annual NJAC/CUNYAC Senior All-Star Challenge at Montclair State’s Panzer Gymnasium on March 26.


Shondelle Browne of New Jersey City University added eight points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the NJAC, which has won both contests against its cross-river rivals. Last year, the NJAC posted a 75-70 victory at The College of Staten Island.

The NJAC won the contest despite a terrific performance from CUNYAC Player of the Year Lauren Cargill of CCNY. Cargill scored 29 points, including six three-pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds. The game was played in the 10-minute, four period format.

Cargill was named the CUNYAC’s Most Valuable Player while Gadsden took home the same honor for the NJAC team.

The CUNYAC jumped out to a 22-11 lead after the first period, however, the host NJAC squad answered right back with a 12-0 run to start the second quarter while holding their opponents to just four points in the stanza. Gadsden began the run with a jumper and Rutgers-Camden’s Joy Silver followed with a basket to cut the lead to seven. Kristen McCandless of The College of New Jersey scored on a layup to make the score 22-17 and a free-throw by Browne brought the deficit to four with 7:25 to play in the quarter. Gadsden then buried a three-pointer to pull the NJAC within one and a layup by Melinda DioDonet of Ramapo gave the NJAC the lead for good, 23-22 with 5:51 remaining. McCandless capped the spurt with a layup. Cargill responded with a layup to make the score 25-24, but the NJAC scored the next nine points including seven by Montclair State representatives Stephanie Croley, Erin Schultz – a three-pointer – and Jasmine Batts.

 

The NJAC led 36-26 at the half and built a 60-42 lead after three quarters, before the CUNYAC answered, outscoring the NJAC 27-18 in the final period.

Silver, the lone representative of NJAC champion Rutgers-Camden had 11 points and 14 rebounds for the NJAC, which saw all 11 of its players score in the contest. The NJAC outrebounded the CUNYAC, 63-25, including 22-10 on the offensive glass.

Keisha Cook of Staten Island had 16 points for the CUNYAC while Samantha Halpern of CCNY added 11 and seven rebounds.