RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Making its first Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament appearance since 2019, the HFU Men's Basketball had multiple opportunities to take the lead in the final two minutes at top-seeded Felician on Tuesday evening.
 
The Golden Falcons made the stops though, eventually ending the game on a 1-10 run to defeat the Tigers 76-86 in their quarterfinal match up.  
 
 A Matt Gardler (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) 3-pointer cut the deficit to 75-76 with 2:20 to go, but that would be the final field goal for Holy Family.
 
Following a stop, the Tigers would a miss a triple and then commit a turnover on back-to-back possessions, the latter of which led to a Felician three-point play. 
 
The Golden Falcons then sealed the victory by making all four of its free throw attempts in the last 38 seconds. 
 
Individual Highlights

• Gardler led Holy Family with his second 20-plus-point performance as the freshman finished with 21 and a team-high four assists
• Omarion Jett (Montclair, N.J./Saint Benedict's Prep (American International College)) led all players with a season-best seven rebounds, while adding nine points, in his final collegiate gameNajee Coursey (Egg Harbor City, N.J./Cedar Creek (Sacred Heart University)) and Raphael Dupouy (Bordeaux, France/Central Pointe Christian Academy (Yavapai College)) were both in double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Dupouy making six-of-7 field goals

 
Inside the Box Score

• Both teams shot at least 50.0 percent from the floor, but the Felician would make more foul shots (19)  than HFU attempted (17) 

 
How it Happened

• The first 39 and a half minutes were played within two possessions outside of 16 seconds when Felician led 31-38
• The Tigers would come back with the next eight points, five of which were by Coursey, before Golden Falcons scored the final five of the half for a 39-43 advantage at the break
• Eight unanswered, capped by a Gardler 3-pointer with 11:30 remaining, put Holy Family up 59-55
• Felician countered with six in a row, and the two teams would share three ties before back-to-back Golden Falcons put them ahead 66-70 with 5:52 to play
• The two teams then trade baskets until the three-point play