#10 OCC Men's Basketball Upsets #7 Middlesex, Advances to Region 19 Championship Quarterfinals

Toms River, NJ - #10 OCC Men's Basketball upset #7 Middlesex College on Saturday (2/25), taking down the Blue Colts by a final score of 64-59 to advance to the 2022-23 NJCAA D-III Region 19 North Atlantic District Quarterfinal.

With a setup fit for an ESPN: 30 for 30 documentary, the only way for the Vikings to move forward was to defeat an opponent in their arena who'd beaten them both times they'd met in the regular season. True to the magnitude of the matchup, this was a battle from buzzer to buzzer, with the teams deadlocked at 28 after one half. OCC sophomore guard Josh Kline led Ocean scoring with a 17-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist effort, while freshman guard Brien Dunphy II scored 14, and sophomore forward Bryan Potter dominated, with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. With neither team able to establish a significant lead over the other, tension was high until the game's closing seconds, when Ocean freshman guard Channing Williams sealed the deal with a layup (assisted by Kline) that locked in the Viking victory.   

"As nerve wracking as it was at times, Saturday was a fun basketball game," reflected OCC Men's Basketball Head Coach Patrick Boylan. "Both teams played and executed at a high level, and neither team showed any signs of backing down. Fortunately we were able to get timely stops down the stretch, accompanied by a handful of crucial plays made by Josh Kline. Our sophomores were outstanding, really carrying us to the finish line. Potter, Paul, and McCann each played pivotal roles in the contest. We will now prepare for another outstanding opponent in Brookdale."

The Vikings return to action on Tuesday, February 28, when they travel to Brookdale Community College to take on the #2-ranked Jersey Blues at 7 P.M.