BY AMAURIS PERALTA MUÑOZ
After clinching their second back to back New Jersey Athletic Conference title, Ramapo College Men’s Basketball team traveled this past weekend to Massachusetts to partake in the first round of the NCAA Division three tournament.
After dominating Moravian College, 86-61, in the first round of the national tournament, the team had to get one more win in order to move forward and keep their season alive.
Leading only by two points at the half, Ramapo College had to come out strong and play their game in order to win. With the stands full of loud William fans, the roadrunners had to block them out and play their hardest until the clock runs out.
With a tough second half start for both teams, senior Thomas Bonacum made a three pointer to get Ramapo going for the second half and make it the first bucket for both teams with three minutes having passed. The Roadrunners kept the lead for most of the half, until the Ephs of Williams College scored a three pointer and two back to back layups to bring them up by one and give them a lead.
“The two clutch free throws made by Mosely to give us the lead gave us the mentality to make stops and win this game,” said sophomore Roadrunner Naseer Walker. “Being in a crowd full of fans whose job is to make us lose our concentration had to be the toughest part of playing in the game against Williams College.”
Road to NCAA Division III Sweet 16
Bonacum then made two more free throws and senior Nick Stanek made a layup to finally put the Roadrunners up by five with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. William’s College took a desperate shot, allowing Bonacum to obtain a rebound and get fouled, forcing him to take two free throw shots that he eventually made. The lead was seven for the Roadrunners and their excitement to go to the NCAA Sweet 16s had just begun. Williams College made a three pointer to hit that buzzer, but it was not enough as the Roadrunners had won and advanced to the next round of the national tournament.
The team then traveled back to Ramapo College to get back in the gym to continue to practice and prepare for their next opponent which they will face in their home court as per the NCAA’s.
“I am excited for the next round of the tournament, especially being here at home. It has been an unbelievable journey and we look forward to continue to work together as a team,” Travis Bennett said.
The Roadrunners remain undefeated at home and will face Franklin and Marshall on Friday Mar. 9th, 2018.
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