Mar 6, 2025
03/05/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Saint Francis’ Riley Parker holds off Wagner’s Javier Ezquerra.
By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
LORETTO — Riley Parker’s three free throws with 2.1 seconds left pushed Saint Francis to a 58-55 victory over the Wagner Seahawks Wednesday night at DeGol Arena in the quarterfinals of the Northeast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Both of the previous two matchups between Saint Francis and the Seahawks came down to the final possession of the game and were losses for the Red Flash.
On this night, it was Saint Francis that got the final possession and the victory.
“It was going to be competitive all the way down to the very last possession, but I thought our guys, over the course of the last month, have really grown up,” Red Flash coach Rob Krimmel said. “They’ve developed some composure, some confidence in themselves and each other.”
The confidence and composure of Parker was on full display as all three of his shots went through the net, each extending the Saint Francis lead. It was also displayed at the end of the first half as he drained a shot from mid-court as time expired to also give the Red Flash a three-point lead.
“I work on those shots every single day, multiple times a day, and just my team puts me in the right position as well as the coaches,” Parker said.
All Krimmel could do was watch as the Seahawks tied it up and the Red Flash brought it up the floor as the seconds ticked off the clock.
“The players make the plays,” Krimmel said. “It’s a play we run to get the ball in bounds, and then at that point, go make a play.”
Parker did just that getting the ball off, but getting fouled in the process to set up the free throws.
“He lives in the gym, and so those moments, he’s earned those,” Krimmel said.
Let’s get physical
Physicality has been the name of the game defensively for Krimmel’s squads and especially so with this year’s team. It was a big factor in limiting the Seahawks to 35.1 percent from the field.
“I thought they played really well for the majority of the game,” Wagner head coach Donald Copeland said. “Honestly, they were really physical, defensively, and made it a struggle. Despite not scoring a lot. I thought they made timely baskets at moments to just keep us at arm’s length for the majority of the game.”
It was Daemar Kelly who led the Red Flash defensive effort, limiting the effectiveness of Javier Ezquerra for the Seahawks.
“From a defensive perspective, we don’t play a style that allows or really expects our guys to get out the passing lanes and steal the basketball and block shots and play that way,” Krimmel said. “For 30 games, Daemar has done an unbelievable job of guarding the other team’s best player, and has really embraced that.”
Kelly embracing that role has opened up a multitude of opportunities for himself as well as Parker and other Red Flash teammates throughout this season.
Next up
Saint Francis will hit the road to take on LIU in the NEC semifinals Saturday at noon in Brooklyn, N.Y.
A win and the Flash will move on to the NEC finals, and a loss will send them home for the season.
“We told these guys that tonight was going to be the toughest game they played,” Krimmel said. “Guess what? Saturday is going to be even tougher, and it’s going to be more important for them to be composed and to minimize the mistakes.”
WAGNER (14-16): Bounds 1-2 0-1 2, Fitch 2-2 2-2 6, Ezquerra 4-9 1-2 9, Sanchez 4-11 6-6 14, Williams 6-14 1-2 16, Blake 2-10 0-0 4, Greene 0-4 0-2 0, Lewis 1-1 2-2 4, Kelton 0-3 0-0 0, Howell-South 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-57 12-17 55.
ST. FRANCIS (14-17): Pinedo 4-8 0-0 8, Cranford 4-10 0-0 11, Kelly 5-10 0-0 13, Moncrief 0-1 0-0 0, Parker 5-9 4-4 16, Rosenberger 3-5 1-2 8, Clayville 1-5 0-0 2, Sanon 0-4 0-0 0, Harris 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-52 5-6 58.
Halftime–St. Francis 28-25. 3-Point Goals–Wagner 3-24 (Williams 3-6, Howell-South 0-1, Kelton 0-3, Sanchez 0-4, Blake 0-5, Ezquerra 0-5), St. Francis 9-26 (Cranford 3-7, Kelly 3-7, Parker 2-5, Rosenberger 1-2, Sanon 0-1, Clayville 0-4). Rebounds–Wagner 35 (Fitch 8), St. Francis 26 (Pinedo 11). Assists–Wagner 10 (Ezquerra 5), St. Francis 10 (Pinedo 3). Total Fouls_Wagner 13, St. Francis 16.
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