Junior preseason First-Team All-American Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) bounced back from his lowest scoring effort of the season by producing his highest output this year, scoring 31 points as one of two Gothic Knights to notch double-doubles in an 85-75 New Jersey Athletic Conference road win for first-place New Jersey City University over Stockton University on February 2 at the Stockton Sports Center.

NJCU wins its fourth straight and eighth in nine games to guarantee itself no worse than the No. 3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. At 17-5 overall and 12-3 in the NJAC, the Knights are just one win shy of securing a bye into the NJAC semifinals. Stockton (9-13, 7-8 NJAC) sits one game out of tournament contention with the loss.

NJCU trailed just twice in the first half-never by more than a point-and held a 34-31 advantage at the half before pulling away from the Ospreys in the second half. A comeback bid by Stockton in the middle of the second half saw the hosts draw within three-59-56, 8:32 left-before NJCU squashed that opportunity, leading by as many as 13 in the final minutes.

Toney produced his first 30-point effort of the season and sixth of his career-the most points he has scored since netting a career-high 42 at Ramapo on January 13, 2018. He shot 9-of-18 overall (3-6 three-point range) and 10-of-12 from the line, adding 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 35 minutes. He produced his 21st career double-double and third of the season.

Sophomore shooting guard Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/(East Orange Campus) had another outstanding performance off the bench. The Gothic Knight sixth-man collected his second double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points (5-10 FG) and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Senior shooting guard James Richardson (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) started in place of injured Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) and shot 5-of-8 overall including a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point distance to register 14 points, five assists and three assists in 26 minutes. Senior small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) finished with seven points, six rebounds and three assists.

Stockton had four players score in double figures but none more than 13. Freshman guard Kyion Flanders (Wildwood, N.J.) led the Ospreys with 13 points (4-6 FG) and four assists. Junior forward Steve Ferebee (Galloway, N.J.), junior guard Brandon Hamilton (Camden, N.J.) and junior forward Othniel Nyamekye (Irvington, N.J.) each tallied 10 points.

Stockton shot 53.3 percent overall (24-45), including 56.0 percent in the second half (14-25) but was forced into 20 turnovers. NJCU buried 10 three-point shots (10-25, .400).

The Ospreys tied the game at 36-36 early in the second half when sophomore forward Tariq Baker (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a three. Richardson answered with a triple then fed Julius for a jumper to help spark an 12-0 run and NJCU was in front the rest of the game. Banks scored the next four point before Toney, who scored 15 in the first half, scored on a fast break for a 47-36 lead. A Banks foul shot made it 48-36 to cap the run spanning 4:04.

NJCU continued to lead by double figures and managed a comfortable margin. Senior guard Keenan Williams, Jr. (Paulsboro, N.J.) hit a three with 9:08 left and Hamilton made it 59-56 with 8:32 left off a turnover.

But Toney put a stop to Stockton's dreams with a three at 8:12 and Julius buried another trey to make it 68-59 with 5:42 to go and the Ospreys never challenged again. NJCU hit all eight of its foul shots in the final six minutes.