Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Elias Desport (Stockholm, Sweden/Solna Gymnasium) scored six of his career-high 10 points in the final three minutes to propel Saint Peter's past Tennessee State 66-58 in the first round of the Barclays Classic Saint Peter's Division in men's basketball action on Friday night.
The Peacocks (2-4) jumped out to an 18-point lead in the first half, but the Tigers (2-4) rallied to make it a one-point game with 8:41 left and again with 3:30 left. After Xavier Richards nailed a jumper with 3:30 left, Desport hit a jumper at the top of the key with 2:58 on the clock. The junior then made two free throws with 1:58 left. Christian Mekowulu made 1 of 2 at the line with 1:34 on the clock only to see Desport score in the lane with 61 ticks left to help seal the victory. Desport stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Travis Hester (Crozet, Va./The Miller School [Harcum]) sparked the team in the first half with a career-high 15 points after hitting four of his first five shots from behind the arc. Hester also added six rebounds and an assist while Marvin Dominique (Miramar, Fla./Miramar [Fordham]) posted 15 points and nine rebounds in the winning effort.
Saint Peter's will play Norfolk State in the Barclays Classic Saint Peter's Division Championship Game on Saturday at the Yanitelli Center. Game time is 7:30 p.m. The Spartans rallied from a 16-point deficit to earn a thrilling 72-70 overtime win against St. Francis Brooklyn in the first game of the night. Tennessee State will play the Terriers in the consolation game at 5 p.m.
Mekowulu paced the Tigers with 13 points. Richards and Jay Harris each added 11 points and Rodney Simeon chipped in 10 points in the loss.
The Peacocks jumped out to a big advantage and then held on after a furious comeback attempt by Tennessee State to earn its second-straight win of the season.
With the game tied at 6, Saint Peter's used a 32-14 run to take a 38-20 advantage with 6:40 left in the first half.
The spurt started with a 16-4 run to claim a double-digit advantage for the first time on the night.
Dominique gave the Peacocks the lead they would not relinquish on a free throw with 16:45 on the clock. After Hester made his first triple at 16:21, Dominique and Mekowulu traded baskets. Hester answered with his second 3-pointer at 15:46 and Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) hit two at the line for a 17-8 lead with 14:13 left in the stanza. Zachary Lee momentarily halted the Saint Peter's run with two charity tosses of his own at 17:58, but then Hester dialed downtown for the third time at 13:43 and Elisha Boone (Laureltown, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) scored in the paint to cap the run at 13:06 for a 22-10 advantage.
The Tigers scored 10 of the next 17 points make it a nine-point game midway through the half.
The Peacocks answered by going on a 9-0 run to take its largest lead at 38-20 with 6:40 remaining in the stanza. Jamel Fields (Albany, N.Y./Cheshire Academy [Fairfield]) started the run with two free throws at 8:41 before Hester made three charity tosses after being fouled on a 3-point attempt 40 seconds later. Hester then hit long distance one more time and Boone hit 1 of 2 at the line for an 18-point edge.
Powered by six points from Richards, Tennessee State closed the half on a 13-4 run to go into the locker room trailing, 42-33.
The Tigers then cut the margin to 46-41 with 16:35 left before Saint Peter's scored the next eight points to restore a 13-point lead at 54-41 with 14:32 on the clock. Dominique registered seven of the eight points in that stretch.
Tennessee State responded with a 13-1 run to make it a one-point game at 55-54 with 8:41 remaining after a Mekowulu layup. The Tigers then missed five opportunities to take the lead after two missed baskets and three turnovers.
Desport hit two free throws at 5:39 to give the Peacocks a 57-54 lead with 5:39 left. Tennessee State made it a one-point game again after a Richards jumper with 3:30 on the clock, but that was after the Tigers missed six shots after Desports charity tosses. Desport then scored six of the next seven points to help seal the win and second Saint Peter's into the championship game.
Wyche added nine points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in the win.
