PHILADELPHIA – Kemkeng hits two free throws in with 1:30 to go in the game to become the 61^st player in Jefferson history to reach the 1,000 point milestone in his career while Ahmed Barba-Bey made a three-point dagger to rally back the Thomas Jefferson University men's baskeball team (11-7, 5-3) to a 88-82 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) South victory over rival Holy Family University (5-12, 1-6) in Tuesday evening action.
 
WHAT HAPPENED
The Rams would start the game off with Bsimark Nsiah converting on an and-one to get the first points for Jefferson, with Kemkeng scoring his first of 21 points in the half to get a 5-0 lead early on in the contest. Ethan Pires and Jason Shields hit two threes to get the Tigers within one point. Barba-Bey, Kemkeng, Erik Timko, and Ashton Miller all get in the scoring attack to get Jefferson up 17-11. The Tigers would climb to get within two points, but Miller hit a three to keep the Rams ahead with 11:11 to go in the first half. Farouk Kaba would hit his own three-pointer later in the game, but Aamir Hurst would respond with his own three. Kemkeng would then score seven points in the last seven minutes as Jefferson headed into the break up 43-36.
 
The Tigers would begin the second half outscoring the Rams 12-5 in less than four minutes to put Holy Family up 49-48. Kemkeng would convert on an and-one to get within 3 points of 1,000, but Vernon Johnson hit a three to retake the lead for Holy Family as they outscored Jefferson 46-45 in the quarter. Shields hit a three while Tazir Cantey made a layup to build the Tigers lead. Timko would hit a three with Nsiah and Barba-Bey made their shots to get it even at 57-57.
 
Holy Family would keep their offense going, eventually retaking the lead and going ahead 71-62 as Jake McGonigle hit his shot from beyond the arc with 8:33 to go. The Rams would get within one point a few times, eventually tying it at 75-75 from a Timko three-pointer. He would also give the Rams the lead with four free throws to have it at 79-78. Kemkeng would score a layup with 2:25 to go, then make a pair of free throws at the 1:30 mark that elevated him to 1,000 in his career and put Jefferson up 83-78. Cantey made a layup to get within three with 1:20 to go in the game.
 
Barba-Bey would initially miss his shot but got the rebound back. Timko would pass it to Barba-Bey for another chance to make a shot as he hit a three-pointer with 27 seconds to go to put the game away for Jefferson. A miss shot by Holy Family would leave Nsiah wide open to slam a dunk, finishing the game with the opening and ending points, as Jefferson walked away a crazy thriller match victorious 88-82 and adding another win to the CACC South Division.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Antonin Kemkeng: 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 5-6 FT, 9 rebounds
Erik Timko: 25 points on 6-of-12 shooting (3-6 3PT), 10-13 FT, 4 assists, 2steals
Ahmed Barb-Bey: 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting (2-5 3PT), 7 rebounds, 6 assists
Bsimark Nsiah: 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
 
NCAA STATISTICS
Here are some of the statistic standings for the Rams throughout the entire Division II Basketball season so far:
Assists-Per-Game: 18.6 (8^th)
Field Goal Percentage: 50.5% (13^th)
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 1.46 (19^th)
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Erik Timko: 56 Total 3-point FGM (9^th), 3.11 Three Pointers-Per-Game (18^th), 372 points (14^th), 128 Field Goals (17^th)
Hakim Byrd: 3.16 Assis/Turnover Ratio (13^th)
Antonin Kemkeng: 3.53 Offensive Rebounds-Per-Game (14^th)
 
MILESTONE
Kemkeng reached 1,000 points in his career that evening, becoming the 61^st Ram to achieve that milestone. He sits now at 1,001 points and counting.
 
UP NEXT
Jefferson will have a quick turnaround as they face CACC opponent Dominican University of New York on Thursday, January 25 on the road in non-conference competition.