Altenor’s Career High Powers No. 25 Men's Basketball to Road Win at Clark Wednesday Night

WORCESTER, Mass. — The nationally ranked No. 25 University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's basketball team earned a gritty 79–75 road victory over Clark University on Wednesday night inside the Kneller Athletic Center. With the win, the Blue Jays improved to 2–1 overall, while the Cougars fell to 1–1. The meeting marked just the second all-time between the two programs, with USJ now leading the series 2–0.

The game featured 14 lead changes and 14 ties in a tightly contested battle, but the Blue Jays were able to pull away late and fend off the Cougars. Senior guard Lence Altenor (Everett, Mass.) led the charge, erupting for a career-high 37 points on 12-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range and 10-of-12 from the foul line — the third-most points in a single game in program history. Altenor also added four rebounds and a block in 38 minutes.

Senior guard/forward Deivone Tanksley Jr. (Hartford, Conn.) contributed 11 points, six steals, and two assists, while senior forward Friedrich Feldrappe (Berlin, Germany) turned in a strong all-around performance with 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

Junior guard Alijah Lovelace (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added five points and three steals off the bench, providing a key spark for USJ during the second half, while sophomore guard Roel Figueroa (Cidra, P.R.) chipped in seven points and four assists to help pace the offense.

As a team, the Blue Jays shot 56.3% (27-of-48) from the floor and 70.0% (21-of-30) from the line while forcing 22 Clark turnovers that led to 19 points. USJ also recorded 13 steals, led by Tanksley Jr.'s six, and outscored the Cougars 42–30 in the paint.

Clark was paced by Aliaun Iscandari, who tallied 21 points, while Reid Neumann added 14 points and Quentin Pridgen and Boluwasefe John each finished with 12 points.

The game opened with back-to-back threes by Altenor and Tanksley Jr., but Clark quickly countered with a long-range shot from Kyle Squires and a layup by John, pulling within one. After another Squires triple tied the score at 11, Pridgen gave the Cougars their first lead, 14–11, with a three of his own.

Clark held a 26–19 advantage midway through the first half — its largest lead of the game — before USJ stormed back behind defensive pressure and transition buckets to go ahead 30–28 with nine minutes to play. The teams traded baskets over the remainder of the half, as Clark's Neumann and Pridgen converted key shots and Iscandari hit a late three to put the Cougars up 43–42 in the final seconds. However, Altenor answered with a deep three just before the buzzer to give USJ a 45–43 halftime lead.

Altenor stayed red-hot to start the second half, converting an and-one layup to extend USJ's lead to 54–45, its largest of the game. Clark again battled back, with a Neumann three and an Iscandari layup trimming the deficit to four. The Cougars pulled within one after a three from Trace Clark and briefly took a 63–62 lead after a pair of free throws with 8:39 remaining.

Both teams traded blows down the stretch, and the Cougars tied the game at 73-all after a Neumann three with 4:14 left in regulation. They went ahead 75–73 after a pair of free throws, but sophomore guard Jakari Tertulien (Bridgeport, Conn.) answered with a layup on USJ's next trip down the floor to level the game at 75–75 with 2:45 to play.

The Blue Jays' defense dug in down the stretch, getting stops on Clark's final five possessions, and USJ converted 4-of-6 free throws in the closing two minutes to seal the 79–75 victory.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays head to Farmingdale, N.Y., for the FSC Tip-Off Tournament, hosted by Farmingdale State College, on Saturday, Nov. 15, and Sunday, Nov. 16. USJ opens the tournament on Saturday against Albright College inside the Walter A. Lynch Sports Center at 3 p.m.

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