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St. Francis (Pa.) stuns Central Connecticut State 46-43 for NEC title, 2nd NCAA Tournament berth

AP
Mar 11, 2025

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) Daemar Kelly hit a go-ahead jumper with nine seconds left and Chris Moncrief made 1 of 2 free throws after he stole the ball to help St. Francis (Pa.) stun top-seeded Central Connecticut State Blue Devils 46-43 on Tuesday night to win the Northeastern Conference Tournament championship.

It ended the nation's longest active win streak at 14 and earned the Red Flash their second trip to the NCAA Tournament.

No. 3 seed St. Francis (16-17) had lost five in a row to the Blue Devils (25-7), including twice this season by a combined 31 points. The Red Flash won their only other conference tournament in 1991. The fourth time was the charm for head coach Rob Krimmel, who lost in three previous trips to the title game in 2017 and 2019-20.

St. Francis freshman Juan Cranford Jr. and Blue Devils' junior Devin Haid both scored 14 and were the only players to reach double figures.

The two teams played to a 20-20 tie in a cold-shooting first half.

Cranford opened the second half with a 3-pointer, and he hit a jumper to give the Red Flash a 37-33 lead with 9:50 left. Central Connecticut State scored the next four points, but Riley Parker answered with a 3-pointer to put St. Francis up three with 7:20 left.

The Red Flash led by four when Devin Haid made two free throws to end a five-minute scoring drought for the Blue Devils. He missed his next two shots before sinking a jumper to tie it at 41 with 1:42 left. Valentino Pinedo had a go-ahead basket but missed a chance at a three-point play. Joe Ostrowsky tied it for the final time with 17 seconds left. Haid missed a 3-pointer to end it.

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1st Half
STFR
Red Flash
20
CCSU
Blue Devils
20

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Valentino Pinedo vs. Abdul Momoh (Blue Devils gains possession)
19:41		Devin Haid misses three point jump shot
19:39		Riley Parker defensive rebound
19:19	+2	Valentino Pinedo makes two point dunk (Riley Parker assists)	2-0
19:09		Jordan Jones misses two point jump shot
19:07		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
18:51		Valentino Pinedo misses two point hook shot
18:49		Devin Haid defensive rebound
18:35		Jordan Jones misses two point jump shot
18:33		Valentino Pinedo defensive rebound
18:13		Chris Moncrief misses two point jump shot
18:11		Valentino Pinedo offensive rebound
17:52		Valentino Pinedo misses two point jump shot
17:52		Jayden Brown defensive rebound
17:52		Joe Ostrowsky misses three point jump shot
17:50		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
17:41		Riley Parker misses three point jump shot
17:39		Joe Ostrowsky defensive rebound
17:31	+2	Devin Haid makes two point layup	2-2
16:54		Red Flash turnover (shot clock violation)
16:49		Devin Haid misses three point jump shot
16:47		Joe Ostrowsky offensive rebound
16:45	+2	Joe Ostrowsky makes two point layup	2-4
16:27		Chris Moncrief misses three point jump shot
16:25		Max Frazier defensive rebound
16:13		Jayden Brown turnover (traveling)
15:59		Juan Cranford Jr. misses two point layup
15:57		Valentino Pinedo offensive rebound
15:57		Devin Haid personal foul (Valentino Pinedo draws the foul)
15:57		TV timeout
15:45		Daemar Kelly misses three point jump shot
15:43		Blue Devils defensive rebound
15:43		Valentino Pinedo personal foul
15:26		Jayden Brown misses two point hook shot
15:24		Chris Moncrief defensive rebound
15:15		Daemar Kelly misses three point jump shot
15:13		Jaelen McGlone defensive rebound
15:02		Jordan Jones turnover (bad pass) (Chris Moncrief steals)
14:58		Joe Ostrowsky blocks Juan Cranford Jr.'s two point layup
14:56		Joe Ostrowsky defensive rebound
14:53		Valentino Pinedo personal foul
14:27		Jayden Brown misses two point jump shot
14:25		Aidan Harris defensive rebound
14:14		Juan Cranford Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:12		Wisler Sanon II offensive rebound
13:59		Riley Parker misses two point jump shot
13:57		Max Frazier defensive rebound
13:31		Davonte Sweatman misses three point jump shot
13:29		Aidan Harris defensive rebound
13:02		Wisler Sanon II misses two point jump shot
13:00		Max Frazier defensive rebound
12:44		Davonte Sweatman turnover (bad pass) (Juan Cranford Jr. steals)
12:38	+2	Juan Cranford Jr. makes two point layup	4-4
12:16		Jayden Brown turnover (bad pass) (Chris Moncrief steals)
12:09	+2	Juan Cranford Jr. makes two point layup	6-4
12:02		Jaelen McGlone misses three point jump shot
12:00		Red Flash defensive rebound
11:59		TV timeout
11:39		Chris Moncrief misses two point jump shot
11:37		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
11:20	+2	Davonte Sweatman makes two point jump shot	6-6
10:54		Daemar Kelly misses three point jump shot
10:52		Blue Devils defensive rebound
10:51		Aidan Harris personal foul
10:29		Darin Smith Jr. turnover (bad pass)
10:15		Bobby Rosenberger III misses three point jump shot
10:13		Aidan Harris offensive rebound
10:07		Jeremy Clayville misses three point jump shot
10:05		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
9:54		Davonte Sweatman turnover (out of bounds)
9:31		Jeremy Clayville misses two point jump shot
9:29		Aidan Harris offensive rebound
9:26		Daemar Kelly misses three point jump shot
9:24		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
9:15		Devin Haid misses two point jump shot
9:13		Aidan Harris defensive rebound
8:49	+2	Daemar Kelly makes two point jump shot	8-6
8:31		Abdul Momoh turnover (out of bounds)
8:16		Bobby Rosenberger III misses two point layup
8:14		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
8:02	+2	Abdul Momoh makes two point layup (Devin Haid assists)	8-8
7:32		Daemar Kelly misses three point jump shot
7:30		Devin Haid defensive rebound
7:11		Devin Haid misses two point jump shot
7:09		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
7:01	+2	Daemar Kelly makes two point jump shot	10-8
6:41	+3	Darin Smith Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jordan Jones assists)	10-11
6:31		Juan Cranford Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Darin Smith Jr. steals)
6:16		Jordan Jones turnover (bad pass)
6:16		TV timeout
5:55		Jump ball. (Red Flash gains possession)
5:49	+3	Riley Parker makes three point jump shot	13-11
5:38		Joe Ostrowsky misses three point jump shot
5:36		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
5:27		Jayden Brown blocks Riley Parker's two point layup
5:25		Jordan Jones defensive rebound
5:04		Jayden Brown misses two point jump shot
5:02		Joe Ostrowsky offensive rebound
5:00	+2	Joe Ostrowsky makes two point layup	13-13
4:38	+3	Juan Cranford Jr. makes three point jump shot (Riley Parker assists)	16-13
4:16	+3	Darin Smith Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jordan Jones assists)	16-16
3:57		Miles Webb misses three point jump shot
3:55		Darin Smith Jr. defensive rebound
3:46		Joe Ostrowsky misses three point jump shot
3:44		Jayden Brown offensive rebound
3:43		Daemar Kelly personal foul
3:43		TV timeout
3:27		Jayden Brown misses two point jump shot
3:25		Miles Webb defensive rebound
3:02	+2	Chris Moncrief makes two point layup (Juan Cranford Jr. assists)	18-16
2:52		Devin Haid misses two point jump shot
2:50		Chris Moncrief defensive rebound
2:35	+2	Chris Moncrief makes two point dunk (Daemar Kelly assists)	20-16
2:33		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
2:26		Abdul Momoh misses two point hook shot
2:24		Darin Smith Jr. offensive rebound
2:17		Jordan Jones misses three point jump shot
2:15		Juan Cranford Jr. defensive rebound
2:01		Daemar Kelly misses two point jump shot
1:59		Jordan Jones defensive rebound
1:38	+2	Jordan Jones makes two point jump shot	20-18
1:15		Juan Cranford Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:13		Miles Webb offensive rebound
1:01		Riley Parker turnover (lost ball) (Devin Haid steals)
0:57	+2	Devin Haid makes two point dunk	20-20
0:40		Red Flash 30 second timeout
0:32		Devin Haid blocks Daemar Kelly's three point jump shot
0:30		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
0:07		Jordan Jones misses two point layup
0:05		Abdul Momoh offensive rebound
0:01		Devin Haid misses two point jump shot
0:01		Red Flash defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
STFR
Red Flash
26
CCSU
Blue Devils
23

Time		Play	Score
19:51		Devin Haid turnover (Valentino Pinedo steals)
19:33	+3	Juan Cranford Jr. makes three point jump shot (Chris Moncrief assists)	23-20
19:05		Daemar Kelly shooting foul (Devin Haid draws the foul)
19:05		Devin Haid misses regular free throw 1 of 3
19:05	+1	Devin Haid makes regular free throw 2 of 3	23-21
19:05	+1	Devin Haid makes regular free throw 3 of 3	23-22
18:59		Daemar Kelly misses three point jump shot
18:57		Jordan Jones defensive rebound
18:27		Jordan Jones misses two point jump shot
18:25		Chris Moncrief defensive rebound
18:13	+2	Juan Cranford Jr. makes two point layup	25-22
17:54		Daemar Kelly personal foul
17:52		Jordan Jones offensive foul
17:52		Jordan Jones turnover (offensive foul)
17:30		Riley Parker misses two point jump shot
17:28		Devin Haid defensive rebound
17:23		Devin Haid turnover (Wisler Sanon II steals)
17:09		Juan Cranford Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:07		Wisler Sanon II offensive rebound
17:03		Abdul Momoh shooting foul (Wisler Sanon II draws the foul)
17:03	+1	Wisler Sanon II makes regular free throw 1 of 2	26-22
17:03		Wisler Sanon II misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:03		Jayden Brown defensive rebound
16:39	+2	Jayden Brown makes two point jump shot (Joe Ostrowsky assists)	26-24
16:22		Valentino Pinedo turnover (Jayden Brown steals)
16:15		Jayden Brown misses two point layup
16:13		Chris Moncrief defensive rebound
15:55		Juan Cranford Jr. misses two point jump shot
15:53		Jaelen McGlone defensive rebound
15:25		Jaelen McGlone misses three point jump shot
15:23		Juan Cranford Jr. defensive rebound
15:10		Valentino Pinedo misses two point hook shot
15:08		Jayden Brown defensive rebound
15:01		Joe Ostrowsky misses two point layup
14:59		Abdul Momoh offensive rebound
14:51	+2	Abdul Momoh makes two point layup	26-26
14:49		TV timeout
14:25	+2	Valentino Pinedo makes two point layup (Chris Moncrief assists)	28-26
14:10		Darin Smith Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:08		Abdul Momoh offensive rebound
14:03	+2	Abdul Momoh makes two point layup	28-28
13:34		Wisler Sanon II misses three point jump shot
13:32		Blue Devils defensive rebound
13:12		Davonte Sweatman misses two point layup
13:10		Abdul Momoh offensive rebound
13:08		Valentino Pinedo blocks Abdul Momoh's two point layup
13:06		Wisler Sanon II defensive rebound
13:06		Darin Smith Jr. personal foul
12:44	+3	Jeremy Clayville makes three point jump shot (Valentino Pinedo assists)	31-28
12:29	+3	Davonte Sweatman makes three point jump shot (Darin Smith Jr. assists)	31-31
12:11		Juan Cranford Jr. misses two point layup
12:09		Valentino Pinedo offensive rebound
12:04	+2	Valentino Pinedo makes two point layup	33-31
11:56		Jordan Jones misses two point jump shot
11:54		Wisler Sanon II defensive rebound
11:36		Darin Smith Jr. personal foul
11:36		TV timeout
11:29		Valentino Pinedo offensive foul
11:29		Valentino Pinedo turnover (offensive foul)
11:18		Jayden Brown offensive foul
11:18		Jayden Brown turnover (offensive foul)
11:02	+2	Wisler Sanon II makes two point layup	35-31
10:48		Davonte Sweatman misses two point jump shot
10:46		Wisler Sanon II defensive rebound
10:29		Jeremy Clayville misses three point jump shot
10:27		Joe Ostrowsky defensive rebound
10:14		Wisler Sanon II shooting foul (Devin Haid draws the foul)
10:14	+1	Devin Haid makes regular free throw 1 of 3	35-32
10:14	+1	Devin Haid makes regular free throw 2 of 3	35-33
10:14		Devin Haid misses regular free throw 3 of 3
10:14		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
9:53	+2	Juan Cranford Jr. makes two point jump shot	37-33
9:39	+2	Jordan Jones makes two point jump shot	37-35
9:17		Jordan Jones personal foul
9:02		Juan Cranford Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:00		Blue Devils defensive rebound
9:00		Aidan Harris personal foul
8:50		Jordan Jones turnover (bad pass)
8:25		Riley Parker misses three point jump shot
8:23		Aidan Harris offensive rebound
8:20		Aidan Harris turnover
8:09		Devin Haid misses three point jump shot
8:07		Riley Parker defensive rebound
7:55		Chris Moncrief turnover (Devin Haid steals)
7:46	+2	Devin Haid makes two point layup	37-37
7:24	+3	Riley Parker makes three point jump shot (Daemar Kelly assists)	40-37
7:01		Abdul Momoh offensive foul
7:01		Abdul Momoh turnover (offensive foul)
7:01		TV timeout
6:48		Riley Parker misses two point jump shot
6:46		Jordan Jones defensive rebound
6:38		Darin Smith Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:36		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
6:10		Chris Moncrief turnover (Joe Ostrowsky steals)
5:40		Jordan Jones misses two point jump shot
5:36		Red Flash defensive rebound
5:21		Wisler Sanon II misses two point jump shot
5:19		Devin Haid defensive rebound
5:09		Jordan Jones misses two point jump shot
5:07		Juan Cranford Jr. defensive rebound
5:02		Juan Cranford Jr. turnover (out of bounds)
4:47		Davonte Sweatman misses two point jump shot
4:45		Juan Cranford Jr. defensive rebound
4:28		Jayden Brown shooting foul (Valentino Pinedo draws the foul)
4:28	+1	Valentino Pinedo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-37
4:28		Valentino Pinedo misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:28		Darin Smith Jr. defensive rebound
4:06		Jordan Jones turnover (Valentino Pinedo steals)
3:49		Riley Parker misses three point jump shot
3:44		Blue Devils defensive rebound
3:44		TV timeout
3:26		Devin Haid misses two point layup
3:24		Chris Moncrief defensive rebound
3:04		Abdul Momoh blocks Chris Moncrief's two point layup
3:02		Davonte Sweatman defensive rebound
2:53		Riley Parker personal foul
2:45		Daemar Kelly personal foul
2:45	+1	Devin Haid makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-38
2:45	+1	Devin Haid makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-39
2:34		Daemar Kelly turnover (Joe Ostrowsky steals)
2:24		Devin Haid misses two point layup
2:22		Darin Smith Jr. offensive rebound
2:16		Devin Haid misses three point jump shot
2:14		Daemar Kelly defensive rebound
2:04		Juan Cranford Jr. misses three point jump shot
2:02		Devin Haid defensive rebound
1:55		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
1:55		TV timeout
1:45	+2	Devin Haid makes two point jump shot	41-41
1:21		Daemar Kelly misses two point jump shot
1:19		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
1:01		Devin Haid misses two point jump shot
0:59		Chris Moncrief defensive rebound
0:33	+2	Valentino Pinedo makes two point layup (Daemar Kelly assists)	43-41
0:33		Abdul Momoh shooting foul (Valentino Pinedo draws the foul)
0:33		Valentino Pinedo misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:33		Abdul Momoh defensive rebound
0:27		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
0:18	+2	Joe Ostrowsky makes two point layup	43-43
0:11	+2	Daemar Kelly makes two point jump shot	45-43
0:03		Devin Haid turnover (Chris Moncrief steals)
0:01		Darin Smith Jr. personal foul
0:01		Official timeout
0:01		Chris Moncrief misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:01	+1	Chris Moncrief makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-43
0:01		Blue Devils 30 second timeout
0:01		Red Flash 30 second timeout
0:01		Devin Haid misses three point jump shot
0:00		End of period

Devin Haid misses three point jump shot