Wilcox Jr. lifts Terriers over Hartford

Senior helps SFC Brooklyn snap three-game losing streak

January 11, 2023 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Tedrick Wilcox Jr., shot the lights out at The ARC Tuesday night, helping SFC Brooklyn end a three-game losing streak. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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A little break from Northeast Conference action did the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s basketball team a lot of good.

Mostly thanks to Tedrick Wilcox Jr.

The senior guard flashed his full arsenal Tuesday night at The ARC, pouring in 27 points, grabbing five rebounds and picking up a steal as the Terriers shook off a three-game losing streak with a 78-73 victory over visiting Hartford.

Wilcox Jr., hit 9-of-13 shots from the field, including an eye-popping 6-of-8 effort from 3-point range.

He also made 3-of-4 free throws and handed out an assist as SFC (7-9, 0-3 NEC) got back in the win column for the first time since blowing past Medgar Evers here on Dec. 22.

Zion Bethea added 13 points, Larry Moreno had 12 and Syrus Grisby finished with 11 for the Terriers, who will take another shot at their first conference win Saturday afternoon vs. Sacred Heart at The ARC.

SFC trailed by as many as nine points in the first half before Wilcox Jr. connected from long range on back-to-back possessions, sparking a 13-6 run before intermission that gave the Terriers a 36-34 lead on his layup with 33 seconds to go.

Briggs McClain’s 3-ball for the Hawks forged a 42-42 deadlock just under six minutes into the second half, but Grisby answered with a layup to put SFC ahead to stay, beginning what proved to be a decisive 9-2 run, capped by Wilcox Jr.’s basket.

The Long Island University men’s team dropped to 0-4 in NEC play in Hackensack, N.J., on Saturday against league-best Fairleigh Dickinson.

Sophomore sharpshooter Marko Maletic continued his emergence in the starting lineup, scoring 29 points while knocking down a career-best eight 3-pointers, but the Knights finished strong for a 101-89 triumph over the resilient Sharks.

Maletic, who had two junior college stops before arriving in Downtown Brooklyn, is averaging a league-best 3.3 3-pointers per contest for LIU (2-14, 0-4), which will be in Loretto, Pennsylvania on Saturday to take on St. Francis University.

LIU’s Marko Maletic is leading the NEC in 3-pointers per game this season, but couldn’t help the Sharks beat league-best FDU Saturday. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

Jacob Johnson scored 16 points and Tre Wood dished out 12 assists for the Sharks, who will look for their first road win in nine attempts this weekend.

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On the ladies’ side, Shyan Mwai scored 23 points while knocking down five 3-pointers and Cristina Bermejo added 10 points, but LIU suffered its 12th consecutive defeat, 80-63, to NEC rival Wagner Sunday in front of 317 fans at the Spiro Sports Center.

The Sharks (2-13, 0-3), who haven’t tasted victory since topping Hartford on Nov. 12, will be back on the hardwood Saturday against Sacred Heart at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

NEC Player of the Week Alyssa Fisher led SFC past visiting Central Connecticut State, 65-59, last Friday at The ARC.

The senior guard scored 29 points on a blistering 10-of-12 shooting effort, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, as the Terriers improved to 2-0 in NEC play following a 1-11 run through non-conference action.

Eszter Varga added 10 points for SFC, which will try to remain atop the league standings Saturday at Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Connecticut.

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Over at Division III Brooklyn College, Gianna Gotti’s game-high 26 points lifted the Bulldogs over Medgar Evers, 94-51, in the Battle of Bedford Avenue last Friday night.

CUNYAC Player of the Week Gianna Gotti and the Brooklyn College Bulldogs are perfect in league play this season. Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

Gotti, who earned CUNYAC and Met Basketball Writers Player of the Week honors, went 12-of-18 from the floor, dished out five assists and racked up 10 steals for BC (6-7, 3-0 CUNYAC), which was slated to battle visiting Baruch on Wednesday.

The BC men earned their first conference win of the campaign Friday at Medgar Evers, 69-56, behind a team-high 17 points from Kayin Olajide.

Elisha Park added 16 points for the Bulldogs (3-10, 1-2), who were aiming for their second straight win vs. Baruch on Wednesday at the West Quad Center.