That iconic line from cult classic movie "The Warriors" came to life tonight in North Andover as top-seeded Merrimack staged a late rally to upend second-seeded FDU, 67-66, and secure the program's first NEC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship.
A free throw by Jordan McKoy (6'5''-G-2000) with eight seconds remaining put the finishing touches on a game-ending 8-0 run inside a raucous Lawler Arena on Tuesday night.
The championship came in Merrimack's (18-16) first year of NEC postseason eligibility, however the Warriors are ineligible to go to the NCAA Tournament until next season when they complete the mandated four-year reclassfication process.
Despite the defeat, FDU's season is still alive, as the Knights already clinched the NEC's AQ to NCAAs via Saturday's semifinal win over Saint Francis U. The Knights enter the postseason with a 19-15 overall record.
Second team All-NEC selection Ziggy Reid (6'6''-G/F-2000) was named the NEC Tournament MVP after pouring in a game-high 23 points to go along with six boards. For the three-game tournament, he averaged 23.7 ppg and 4.7 rpg.
"The older guys on our freshman team (back in 2019-20) showed us how to play Merrimack basketball, said Reid in the postgame presser. "Leading into our senior year, we took that knowledge and applied it."
He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammates Jordan Minor (6'8''-F-2000) and Javon Bennett (5'11''-PG). Minor, the NEC Co-Player of the Year, finished with 19 point, seven boards, five dimes and three rejections in the title tilt and averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.3 blocks over the three-game stretch. Bennett, who had zero points at the half, tallied 11 points, four boards and four assists and registered 18.0 ppg and 3.3 spg for the tourney.
"I always wanted to win a championship...it's something special", said Minor after the win. "Me and (Joe) Gallo had a vision. It's all about hard work since my freshman year...I'm so proud of this program."
FDU was led by All-NEC first teamer Demetre Roberts (5'8''-PG)' 15 points and six assists. He earned All-Tournament recognition along with NEC Most Improved Player Ansley Almonor, who had seven points. Cameron Tweedy came off the bench to drop 13 points on 6-8 shooting for the Knights.
Now back to the drama.
McKoy, who was sent to the line after getting fouled in the backcourt with 8.3 seconds to play, sank the first free throw to give the Warriors a one-point lead, but his miss on the second attempt gave FDU one final chance at claiming its seventh tournament title. The Knights would come up short, though, as Demetre Roberts' deep three from the top of the key bounced high off the rim as time expired.
Less than three minutes before that series of events, FDU was heading down the home stretch in great position to lock up the title. With 2:59 remaining, Grant Singleton (6'0''-PG) knocked down a three-pointer to give the Knights their largest lead of the game - a 66-59 advantage - that could have easily been the dagger in a back-and-forth battle that had already withstood 10 ties and 11 lead changes.
But Merrimack came storming back. Just 16 seconds after Singleton's triple, Reid responded with one of his own from the corner to bring the deficit down to four. The two teams would go scoreless for the next minute before Merrimack's Jordan Derkack (6'5''-G) hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it a one-possession game with 1:20 left to play.
Forcing a Knights' turnover on the other end, Minor capitalized on a strong take to the rim and finished through the contact with 39 seconds to go. Following a timeout, the veteran calmly sank the free throw to complete the conventional three-point play and make it a brand new game at 66-all.
Working the clock down for what they hoped would be the final shot, FDU managed to get an open look from the corner from Almonor, but his attempt was off the mark and McKoy was fouled, setting up the final sequence.
"We won a typical Merrimack rock fight down the stretch" said Merrimack head coach Gallo. "I think if this game happened two months ago, I don't think we end up winning this game."
And once the game ended, Gallo delivered his patented ladder leap into the waiting arms of his team.
"That (ladder) slipped a little. If we keep winning, I'm gonna keep jumping."
The game was as even as you can get.
Both teams went 24-58 (.414) from the field. The Warriors pulled down 38 boards compared to 37 for the Knights.
And in a game featuring two of the nation's top teams at forcing turnovers, it was as clean as they come. FDU only coughed the ball up nine times, while Merrimack had eight TOs.
This marked the seventh NEC title game decided by exactly one point and the first since 2006.

Courtesy of northeastconference.org

All-Tournament MVP: Ziggy Reid (6'6''-G/F-2000) of Merrimack
Co-Player of the Year: Josh Cohen (6'10''-F) of SFU
Co-Player of the Year: Jordan Minor (6'8''-F-2000) of Merrimack
Defensive Player of the Year: Jordan Minor (6'8''-F-2000) of Merrimack
Rookie of the Year: Javon Bennett (5'11''-PG) of Merrimack
Most Improved Player of the Year: Ansley Almonor (6'7''-F) of FDU
Coach of the Year: Chris Kraus of Stonehill

All-NEC First Team 2023

Cohen

Galette

Minor

Roberts

Sims

First Team
Josh Cohen (6'10''-F) of SFU
Nico Galette (6'6''-F) of Sacred Heart
Jordan Minor (6'8''-F-2000) of Merrimack
Demetre Roberts (5'8''-PG) of FDU
Andrew Sims (6'6''-F) of Stonehill

All-NEC Second Team 2023

Amos

Burnett

Land

Reid

Singleton

Second Team
Kellen Amos (6'7''-G) of CCSU
Isaiah Burnett (6'5''-G) of Stonehill
Maxwell Land (6'4''-G/F) of SFU
Ziggy Reid (6'6''-G/F-2000) of Merrimack
Grant Singleton (6'0''-PG) of FDU

All-NEC Third Team 2023

Almonor

Brown

Hunt

Reilly

Zegarowski

Third Team
Ansley Almonor (6'7''-F) of FDU
Brandon Brown (6'5''-G) of Wagner
DeLonnie Hunt (6'0''-PG) of Wagner
Joey Reilly (6'0''-PG) of Sacred Heart
Maxwell Zegarowski (6'6''-F) of Stonehill

All-NEC All-Rookie Team 2023

Bennett

Derkack

Greene

Howell-South

Moore

All-Rookie Team
Javon Bennett (5'11''-PG) of Merrimack
Jordan Derkack (6'5''-G) of Merrimack
RJ Greene (6'6''-G) of LIU Brooklyn
Di'Andre Howell-South (6'4''-G) of SFC
Landon Moore (6'3''-G) of SFU

All-NEC All-Tournament Team 2023

Reid

Minor

Bennett

Roberts

Almonor

All-Tournament Team
Ziggy Reid (6'6''-G/F-2000) of Merrimack
Jordan Minor (6'8''-F-2000) of Merrimack
Javon Bennett (5'11''-PG) of Merrimack
Demetre Roberts (5'8''-PG) of FDU
Ansley Almonor (6'7''-F) of FDU