ABDULLAH, DOWNES SET CAREER HIGHS IN 105-93 WIN OVER ESSEX CC

Amir Abdullah (22) and Damien Downes (24) both set career highs and Niko Barnes registered his third double-double of the season as Middlesex College topped Essex CC 105-93 in a key Region 19 victory.

The win boosted the Colts record to 12-9 overall and kept them in first place in the Region 19 Division II standings.

Middlesex College got off to a fast start in the first half and carried a commanding 53-32 lead into halftime. The 53 points was the most Middlesex has scored in the first half of a Region 19 matchup since December 19, 2023 when they put up 53 against Delaware Tech CC.  

The Colts played most of the second half with a lead that exceeded 20 points as they kept producing offensively. An offensive run in the final minutes by Essex CC cut the final deficit to 12, but the outcome of the game was never in question.

Abdullah's 22 points bested his previous career high of 17 and came on 8-14 shooting. He hit 4 of the 8 three-pointers he attempted while playing all 40 minutes. He also led Middlesex with 9 assists, which matched a career high.

Barnes continued to be an all-around force for the Colts and had his best game from long distance. The sophomore star shot 7-11 from the floor with all seven baskets coming from three-point range. He grabbed 12 rebounds, 11 of which came on the defensive end.

Barnes wasn't the only Colt to score a double-double as Hashim Nadir registered 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in 32 minutes of play.

Downes topped 20 points for the fifth time this season and added 6 assists as well.

Middlesex returns to action on Thursday when they travel to Mercer for a Region 19 matchup with big postseason implications. The Colts and Mercer sit in first and second place in Region 19 with identical 6-3 league records. Middlesex has the tiebreaker by virtue of a 71-70 victory in the teams' first matchup in November. Tipoff is set for 7:00PM.