HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Centenary University men's basketball team earned its first victory of the 2026-27 season Saturday afternoon, defeating FDU-Florham, 78-69, in the consolation game of the Centenary Tip-Off Tournament inside the John M. Reeves Student Recreation Center.
After falling to The College of New Jersey in Friday's season opener, the Cyclones bounced back with a strong team performance, using an impressive first-half shooting effort and balanced offensive contributions to secure the nine-point victory. The opening minutes featured a back-and-forth battle as both teams looked to establish momentum. Centenary struck first when Jasir Lane converted a fast-break layup off a steal and assist from Kenneth Rankin. FDU-Florham responded, and the teams exchanged leads throughout the early stages of the contest.
The Cyclones began to find their offensive rhythm midway through the first half. Darnelle Forrest connected from beyond the arc to give Centenary a 13-11 advantage before Jason Martinez added a layup to extend the lead. Martinez followed with a three-pointer, and Rankin knocked down another from long range as Centenary built a 21-13 advantage.
Centenary continued its strong perimeter shooting throughout the remainder of the half, connecting on eight three-pointers before the break. The Cyclones entered halftime holding a 39-30 lead, shooting 47.1 percent from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.
FDU-Florham looked to cut into the deficit in the second half, increasing its offensive production and scoring 39 points. The Devils shot 50 percent from the field after halftime, but Centenary answered with 39 points of its own to maintain control of the contest. Despite cooling off from three-point range in the second half, the Cyclones found success attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line. Centenary converted 10 of its 12 second-half free-throw attempts while shooting 45.2 percent from the field.
The Cyclones maintained their advantage down the stretch, holding off FDU-Florham's comeback efforts to secure the 78-69 victory.
Kenneth Rankin led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and connecting on two three-pointers. Rankin also contributed six rebounds, five assists and three steals in an impressive all-around performance. Darnelle Forrest recorded a double-double, finishing with 14 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Forrest connected on three shots from beyond the arc while adding two steals.
Naire Preston provided a spark off the bench, contributing 13 points, four rebounds and two steals, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and knocking down three three-pointers. Domenic Raymond added 10 points and three rebounds, while Jason Martinez finished with nine points and a steal. Jasir Lane contributed four points, eight rebounds, three assists and a block.
As a team, Centenary shot 41.2 percent from the field, connecting on nine three-pointers while finishing 13-for-18 from the free-throw line. The Cyclones held a 40-36 advantage in rebounds, including 14 offensive boards, and received 32 points from their bench. Defensively, Centenary forced 18 FDU-Florham turnovers, recording 10 steals and converting those opportunities into 17 points.
FDU-Florham was led by Amari Stokes, who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Frankie Denvir added 13 points.
With the victory, the Cyclones improve to 1-1 overall, earning their first win of the season and concluding the Centenary Tip-Off Tournament on a positive note. The Cyclones return to action Wednesday, November 11th, at 7PM as they host USMMA.
