By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
March 10, 2024
PETERSBURG, VA—United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division I Bryant and Stratton College-Buffalo (22-9) senior guard Deric Jackson led both benches and teams with 25 points as the second-seeded Bobcats defeated the second-seeded Manor College Blue Jays (12-7), 87-66, in the USCAA Division I Men's Basketball Small College National Championships Quarterfinals at National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region X Division II Richard Bland College of William and Mary.
Buffalo scored the game's first seven points in 2:45. Manor answered with a 9-2 run between 17:00 and 15:40 (a 1:20 stretch) and tied the game at nine on junior guard Namir Simmons' (Philadelphia, PA/Academy Park) layup. The Bobcats took the lead for good, 12-9, on Jackson's three-point basket with 15:20 left. The Blue Jays got as close in the first half as six points multiple times, as recent as 32-26 with 4:21 remaining on sophomore forward Cheikh Diagne's (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) free throws. Buffalo took its first double-digit lead of the game, 36-26, with 3:48 left on junior guard Armonee Felder's layup. The Bobcats scored 14 straight points between 3:48 and 1:29 (a 2:19) and led 44-26 on Jackson's layup. Buffalo finished the final 3:48 on a 14-2 run and led 44-28 at halftime. Felder, Jackson, and sophomore guard Nashon Sylvester led the Bobcats with 11 points each. Freshman guard Manny Roach (Medford, NJ)/Life Center Academy) paced the Blue Jays with 11 points.
The Bobcats expanded its lead to 50-32 with 19:08 remaining on senior forward Kalon Kimble's layup. Manor answered with an 18-8 run between 18:29 and 11:58 and closed the gap to 58-50 with 11:58 left on Diagne's layup. The Blue Jays got as close as 73-62 with 5:58 left on freshman forward Deacon Linder's (Philadelphia, PA/Hardy Williams Academy [Mastery]) layup. The Bobcats finished the final 5:49 on a 14-4 run. Buffalo outscored Manor in the second half, 41-38. Jackson led both teams with 14 points. Roach paced Manor with 11 points.
Buffalo will advance to the Semifinals where they will play the third seed Lyon College Fighting Scots (17-8) at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12 NCAA Division II Virginia State University in Petersburg. Lyon defeated the sixth seed Bryant and Stratton College-Syracuse Bobcats (16-7), 86-57, in the Quarterfinals at Richard Bland in Petersburg. This will be Buffalo's fourth straight Semifinal appearance.
Statistical Leaders: Roach led Manor with 17 points, senior guard Eddie Fortescue Jr (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) scored 15, and Simmons contributed 14. Diagne paced the Blue Jays with 7 rebounds.
In addition to Jackson, Sylvester scored 16 points, junior guard Cameron Watts added 14, and Felder contributed 11 and led both teams with six assists. Kimble led both teams with 13 rebounds for the Bobcats.
Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Scoring Leaders (including ties): Roach (10), Simmons (7), Diagne (2), and Fortescue Jr (1).
Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Rebounding Leaders (including ties): Diagne (5), Fortescue Jr (4), junior forward Jarid Vertil (Willingboro, NJ/Rahway) (4), Roach (3), Simmons (3), sophomore forward Idris Holman (Philadelphia, PA/Mercy Vocational Technical) (1), sophomore forward Bryce Nwobu (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) (1), and Cristeph Lamothe (1).
Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Assists Leaders (including ties): Simmons (15), Roach (5), Diagne (4), Fortescue Jr (3), and Vertil (1).
Manor 2023-2024 Single-Game Steals Leaders (including ties): Roach (8), Simmons (8), Fortescue Jr (4), junior guard Shyere Mayhue (Philadelphia, PA/People for People Charter) (2), and Diagne (1).
Manor 2023-2024 Double-Figure Scoring Leaders: Roach (18), Simmons (17), Fortescue Jr (16), Diagne (11), Vertil (11), Linder (2), freshman guard Steven Latimer (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) (1), and Mayhue (1).
Manor 2023-2024 20-Point Games Leaders: Simmons (9), Roach (7), and Fortescue Jr (4).
Manor 2023-2024 30-Point Games Leaders: Roach (2).
Manor 2023-2024 Double-Figure Rebounding Leaders: Diagne (2), Holman (1), Roach (1), Simmons (1), and Vertil (1).
Manor 2023-2024 "Double-Double" (Points and Rebounds) Leaders: Diagne (2), Roach (1), Simmons (1), and Vertil (1).
Manor 2023-2024 "Double-Double" (Points and Assists) Leaders: Simmons (1).
Season Series (Since 1994-1995): This is the first meeting between the two schools.
Manor Trailing at Halftime (Since 2021-2022): Manor is 4-3 overall (0-2 at neutral sites) when they are trailing at halftime this season.
Manor Scoring Less Than 70 Points: The Blue Jays are 1-2 overall this season when they score less than 70 points They are 4-7 overall since the 2021-2022 season.
Manor at Neutral Sites: Manor is 2-3 this season when playing at a neutral site. They are 5-9 since the 2021-2022 season.
Manor in the Postseason: The Blue Jays are looking for its first win in the USCAA Small College National Championship Tournament. They have won three postseason games since the 2008-2009 season when they were NJCAA Region XIX Division II members. The Blue Jays last postseason win was on March 4, 2016 in the NJCAA Region XIX Division II Postseason Tournament Semifinals (87-73 versus the County College of Morris at Morris). They last won a First Round or Quarterfinal game on February 24, 2015 when they defeated Raritan Valley Community College, 75-64, at Manor in the NJCAA Region XIX Division II Postseason Tournament.
Next Game: Manor plays the eighth seeded University of Maine-Fort Kent Bengals (11-14) in the USCAA Division I Men's Basketball Small College National Championships Consolation Bracket on Monday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Richard Bland in Petersburg. This is the first meeting between the two schools. The Bengals lost to the Apprentice School Builders (23-5) in the Quarterfinals, 96-79, on March 10 at NCAA Division II Virginia State University in Petersburg.
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Instagram: manor_athletics.
Twitter: @manorbluejays.
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