Chris Fazzini
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Freshman Chris Fazzini haad 18 points as the Monarchs picked up a big conference road win over FDU-Florham

King's Men's Basketball Holds Off FDU Rally to Earn 64-62 Road Win

12/6/2014 5:43:00 PM

Box Score  
DECEMBER 6, 2014

KING'S MEN HOLD OFF FDU TO WALK AWAY WITH 64-62 ROAD WIN

MADISON, NJ -- The King's College men's basketball team built a 11 points lead with 5:41 left in the game but had to hold off a furious FDU-Florham rally over the final minutes as the Monarchs held on for a 64-62 road victory Saturday in Madison, NJ.

With the win King's improved to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the Freedom Conference while FDU fell to 1-6 and 0-2 in league competition.

The Monarchs used a Dan Borner lay-up with 5:41 on the clock to take a 53-42 lead. But a traditional three-point play from Tymiak Hawkins at the 5:02 mark drew the Devils to within 53-45. 

After King's Dan Rutecki made one-of-two foul shots to push the score to 54-45, the Devils answered with two free throws by Kevin Furlong to trim the score to 54-47 with 4:34 on the clock.

After the teams traded turnovers, Tanner Reyan canned a jumper to push the lead to 56-47 with 3:49 to go. The Monarchs would later grow its lead to 58-48 after Chris Fazzini canned a pair of charity tosses with 3:23 left. 

The Devils, however, countered with a driving lay-up from Donte Ali and a three-pointer by Steve Herdman to cut the King's lead to 59-53 at the 2:46 mark. After a King's miss and turnover, FDU continued to chip away with a pair of foul shot from Michel Barber and one-of-two charity tosses by Furlong to bring the Devils to within 58-56 with 1:10 on the clock.

Rutecki then came through with a huge bucket and foul shot for the Monarchs with 0:52 left to push the score to 61-56. FDU had a chance to tie the game but Furlong and Ali were both 1-for-2 at the line on the next two Devil possession to close to within 61-58 with 0:22 remaining. 

After Ali converted a driving lay-up with 0:14 to play, King's Chris Fazzini was immediately fouled on the inbounds pass and calmly sank both free throws to push the score to 63-60 with 0:13 left.

Veon Lassiter then scored on a drive to the basket with 0:05 remaining to cut the lead to 63-62 with 0:05 to play amd King's Connor Hughes was fouled with 0:04 on the clock.  Hughes made the first free throw but missed the second to give King's a 64-62 lead.  FDU had one last shot but Mike Barber's desperation heave from near half court was well off the mark as the Monarchs held on for the victory.

Chris Fazzini led King's with 18 points, including 12-of-14 from the foul line. Rutecki followed with 16 points and eight rebounds and was 8-of-11 from the free throw line. Borner contributed 12 points and nine boards. With two King's starters fouling out, Tanner Reyan chipped in with nine points off the bench before fouling out himself.  No other King's player had more than two points in the game.

Furlong led the Devils with 16 points and nine rebounds while Ali added 13 points and nine boards.  The Monarchs shot 77.1 (27-35) from the foul line while the Devils went 22-of-39 from the charity stripe.

King's returns to action Friday and Saturday when King's hosts the FNCB/Monarch Classic in Scandlon Gym.Susquehanna faces Wilkes Friday at 6:00 p.m. before King's plays Gwynedd-Mercy at 8:00 p.m. On Saturday Wilkes plays Gwynedd-Mercy at 1:00 p.m. before the Monarchs square off with Susquehanna at 3:00 p.m.

 
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