MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville received the quintessential
Caden Najdawi performance in Friday's 87-54 romp over visiting Clarion. The Marauder hit a major career milestone, scoring his 1,000th career point and did so with 19 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
Najdawi is the 38th player in program history to reach the mark, and Friday's performance also included his 21st career double-double. Fittingly, it was his milestone-reaching bucket--a turnaround hook shot that he has made so effectively in his career--that in part ignited a 16-0 Millersville run, putting Clarion well in the rearview.
Najdawi led five Marauders in double figures.
Justin Nwosu recorded his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Mekhi Hendricks added 13 points off the bench.
Jaden Faulkner chipped in 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds, and
James Sullivan tallied 12 points and five assists while also holding Clarion's leading scorer, Gerald Jarmon, scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Clarion, coached by longtime Millersville assistant Damian Pitts, managed to hang around for three-fourths of the game, trailing 54-45 with 11:53 left in the second half. Hendricks answered with a driving jumper, and a slam from Najdawi put the Marauders back up four heading into the under-12 media timeout. Out of the break, Millersville fed Najdawi on the block for his 17th point of the game and 1,000th of his career. He scored again on a put-back, and in less than four minutes, Millersville extended its lead to 25 points. Millersville kept pouring it on and the 33-point margin of victory--the largest of the season--was its largest lead of the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Marauders made a season-high 11 3-pointers, shooting 52.4% from behind the arc. Hendricks shot 3-for-4 for three and Nwosu made both of his attempts.
• After getting the line 45 times in Monday's double-overtime win over Virginia Union, Millersville shot just seven free throws with Najdawi taking four and Faulkner attempting three. Clarion took just nine foul shots.
• Millersville dominated the interior, holding a staggering 55-22 rebounding advantage. That translated to a 23-2 edge in second-chance points.
POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH CASEY STITZEL
• On the second-half run out of the media timeout: "We really settled down. Jaden did a great job. As a coach, I don't need to run nine screens and 10 sets. That 1-4 play has been very successful in the past. It really got us going. It got him going. It got some of our shooters open too. All season, we've been looking to get our defense, rebounding and offense going at the same time. The first half we were guarding and rebounding, but we had too many turnovers. In that stretch, we had all three going. When we get all three going, we are tough to beat."
• On the performance of the offense: "(The slow start), it's a little on me. Going into a new season, you have those first few weeks to say, 'this is what our identity is going to be.' In the past I've made it offense. This year, I was stubborn on myself and made it defensive rebounding. Guys are getting used to new rules. Mekhi had a great game. Justin was great tonight. It's taken a little time to mesh more offensively."
• On what Najdawi has meant to the program: "He's been huge. He said yes to us when we had nothing to sell. That's why those guys will always be near to my heart. He's had some ups and some downs. Two years ago, he was hurt a lot. He came into the league as a buck-85. He's worked. He decided to come back. He worked. He got in the weight room. He's a great kid, a great leader, a hard worker with a great family. We are super proud and hope there is more to come this season."
NOTES
• Najdawi is the first player since Charlie Parker (2004-08) to score all 1,000 points in a Millersville uniform.
• James Sullivan enters Saturday's game with 989 points--11 shy of 1,000.
• Casey Stitzel has won all three match-ups against Clarion. The game was Pitts' first game coaching against Millersville. He was on the Marauders' bench for 17 years, including one with Stitzel.
UP NEXT
• There is a quick turnaround with the Marauders back in action Saturday at 3 p.m., against Pitt-Johnstown. Pitt-Johnstown is 5-2 and won on the road at West Chester Friday night.
