Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – A three-pointer by junior Joseph Ellis (Newark, N.J./Newark Science) during the game's final 30 seconds broke a 66-66 tie, helping to propel the William Paterson men's basketball team (6-1) to a 71-66 victory against visiting York (2-9) Dec. 10.

The Pioneers could not shake a pesky Cardinal squad during the game's first 20 minutes, as William Paterson's largest first-half lead was its seven-point margin at halftime (39-32). Junior guard Manny Perrotte (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) was perfect from the field, making all three field goals and four free throws, for a team-high 10 points at the break. William Paterson shot 58.3 (14-24) percent from the field during the opening period, compared to York's 36.4 (12-33) percent shooting.

York cut the lead to four at 47-43 during the first 5:37 of the second half, but the Pioneers seemingly took control of the contest with a 12-2 run, pushing ahead 59-45 at the 8:07 mark. Less than a minute later with the Pioneers still ahead by 14 (61-47), William Paterson junior forward Chris Brown (Newark, N.J./Newark Science) was whistled for a foul, and his reaction to the call resulted in two technical fouls and his ejection from the contest. The Cardinals made four of the resulting six free throws, jump starting a 15-0 spurt that eventually gave York a one-point edge at 62-61 with 3:21 remaining. Senior Courtney Nelson (Newark, N.J./Bloomfield Tech) found sophomore Shaun Canty (Englewood, N.J./Paramus Catholic) in the lane for a bucket (63-62, 2:57), followed by a Cardinal 10-second backcourt violation and a flurry of missed shots and turnovers that ended with an Ellis fast-break trey (66-62, 2:13). York's Ryan Exum converted a pair of free throws at the 1:47 mark, and turned a steal into a fast-break layup, knotting the score at 66-66 with 1:00 on the clock. Exum was fouled on the play and was sent to the line, but his attempt to give his team the lead missed, and WP junior guard Bobby Dunn (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) came away with the rebound. Ellis drained the three during the Pioneers' next possession to snatch back the advantage (69-66, 0:26), and following a York missed three-pointer and foul, Ellis toed the charity stripe and buried both ends of the one-and-one (71-66, 12.7 seconds) for the final margin.

Ellis paced the Pioneers with his 20 points, making six of 11 (.545) from the floor and three of six (.500) from beyond the arc. Perrotte chipped in 15 points, three assists and three steals, Nelson added 14 tallies and five assists, and sophomore guard Gabriel Paul (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) had six points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Exum led the Cardinals with 20 points, six assists and seven steals, while Junior Fuller had 12 points for York. Marcel Esonwune posted 11 tallies and nine rebounds, and Nahum Verna added 11 points.

William Paterson made 26 of 48 (.542) shots during the contest and 16 of 20 (.800) from the charity stripe, but York was 23-for-32 (.719) from the line and turned 21 Pioneer turnovers into 28 points.

William Paterson will host SUNY Old Westbury Saturday, Dec. 13, at 3:00 p.m.