Deacons Amp Up for Opening Round of CACC Playoffs

Editor's note: Bloomfield College Beat is a weekly feature written by BC students focusing on life on campus. This week's column is written by Mariana Martinez.

Big plays are coming from Bloomfield College. The men’s basketball team ended another great season, going 18-8 overall and earning the top playoff seed in the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference north division. The Deacons kick off their playoff run against Felician College (fourth seed) in the opening round in the BC gym Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The team, which finished an impressive 15-3 in CACC play, has come a long way since last season. With head coach Gerald Holmes leading the way, the Deacons have made it to conference playoffs yet again. But this year “feels different,” according to Assistant Basketball Coach Wilson Peralta.

According to the coaching staff, the team has grown this season into better, faster and smarter players. They prepared for games by watching recordings of previous games, identifying their weaknesses and working on them until they became strengths. Peralta feels the biggest improvement this year has been moving the ball better as a team. The approach this season was to “go hard or go home,” said Andre Green. It’s what the players told themselves at the beginning of every game.

The addition of new players Kevin Udo, Jon Bradley and Mike Williams made a difference this season.

“Every man counts and every man contributes to the teams’ success,” said junior forward Woody Eliezer.

Senior captain Gage Daye and junior captain Ahmad Harris are two players who have been with the team for years and have witnessed firsthand its steady growth.

Last season, the Deacons suffered a devastating 84-82 loss to Goldey-Beacom in the CACC semifinals. So close to making it to the championship, the team vowed to work twice as hard this season.

Now with the regular season over, the Deacons prepare themselves for another playoff run and the opportunity to make it to the championship

 “We have what it takes and with hard work, we can make it,” said Green of making it to the championship.