If you were to break down Fordham’s Sunday victory over North Texas, how would you pick the star of the game? Would you give it to Antrell Charlton, who led Fordham’s scoring effort with 10 points, or would you pick Abdou Tsimbila, whose buzzer-beating put-back sealed the nail-biter win for the Rams? According to both senior Rams, the answer is neither. In the post game presser at the Barclays Center, both Charlton and Tsimbila framed their individual contributions as pieces of a larger Fordham machine.
“I feel like today, me and my teammates learned that we can do great things,” Tsimbila said. “In the other games that we lost, we didn’t play the way we’re supposed to play.”
Early in the first, Fordham had their work cut out for them in the defensive paint as the Mean Green scored their first 8 points inside. Former Dayton Flyer Moulaye Sissoko hit a spinning layup to put UNT up 4-0, and forward Aaron Scott threatened late in the half with a few hook shots. After the first media timeout, Fordham was able to slow the Mean Green’s performance inside, executing successful double teams to force North Texas to find outside shots. However, the Mean Green kicked out to strong outside shooters. John Buggs hit two clutch 3-pointers in the first, while Jason Edwards was a perfect 3-for-3 from deep at the break.
Despite the 12-point halftime deficit, Fordham showed flashes of success both in the paint and on second chance opportunities. Josh Rivera put on a versatile effort in the first for 8 points, hitting a right-wing 3 to get the Rams within 6-5, then driving inside a few possessions later to draw a trip to the line. Graduate Forward Ogheneyole Akuwovo, who had scored 5 total points in 7 games this season, powered his way through UNT bigs for 6 points and 2 boards in the first 20 minutes. According to Coach Urgo, Akuwovo’s performance this afternoon was thanks to his consistent offensive poise and leadership.
“He’s so mature. His energy is always through the roof. His positivity is infectious,” Urgo explained. “He outworks everybody…it was a matter of time before he got to shine.”
Akwuovo would finish the day with 8 points and 6 rebounds, his season high in both categories.
Out of the break, Fordham put UNT on their toes with an 8-0 run within the first 3 minutes, forcing the Mean Green to take a time out and collect themselves. Tsimbila and Charlton fueled this Rams run, with Tsimbila hitting a hook shot and Charlton connecting on two consecutive 3-pointers. After going 2-for-9 from deep in the first half, Fordham would hit 6 of their 12 second half 3-pointers. Finishing with 10 points, Charlton felt quite comfortable taking the wheel as Fordham’s primary facilitator.
“Urgo is always getting on to me about being aggressive,” Charlton said. “I just tried to do whatever the team needs me to do for us to get the win. Whatever I feel like is the right play, that is the play I try to make.”
Charlton also set the standard for Fordham’s ball movement with 4 assists, tying with Japhet Medor and Jahmere Tripp for the team high. Tripp, the freshman forward, was a key contributor for the Rams as both teams traded buckets late in the second half. On a blocked Japhet Medor 3-pointer, Tripp recovered the loose ball and laid in the second-chance attempt to put Fordham up 56-55 with less than three minutes remaining. Stepping in as the backup power forward in Elijah Gray’s absence, Tripp’s performance was a major highlight for Coach Urgo in the post game presser.
“He’s absolutely dynamic,” Urgo said. “Jahmere Tripp’s really been working on the 3, [he] didn’t know the 4 as much, but he was like ‘I’ve got you, whatever you need.'”
Tripp recorded 4 points and a season-high 6 rebounds in just under 18 minutes played.
After a back-and-forth half that saw Fordham shoot 50% from three, the game would come down to a physical final two minutes. Japhet Medor hit 2 free throws at the line to put Fordham up 58-57. Abdou Tsimbila and Jason Edwards traded back-to-back steals, with Edwards taking his to the house to put UNT up 59-57. Coming out of a UNT timeout seconds later, Edwards would miss a jumper to put the Mean Green up by 3. After a Fordham timeout, Medor drove from right to left into a wall of green jerseys. Spinning quickly to his left, Medor fed Tsimbila off the bounce for the game-winning dunk.
“He’s been getting better understanding where he is on the court,” Coach Urgo said of Tsimbila and his post work. “You can see his development is through the roof [over] the last several games. You’re starting to see how talented [he is, and] the potential he continues to have, and it’s not even close to what it’s going to be…There’s no one you’d like to see have an opportunity to win this game [more] than this guy.”
Tsimbila would finish with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks as the Fordham Rams improve to 5-5 on the season.
The Rams are off this week for finals, returning to action this Saturday when they take on the St. John’s Red Storm at Madison Square Garden.
