WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> It's a different group, but the Cardiac Flash are back in 2025-26. Ahmad Harrison was the latest to hand Saint Francis a dramatic victory with his 3-pointer as time expired to lift the Red Flash past Stonehill 63-61 in NEC action on MLK Day on Monday.
>> Harrison was clutch in the final 63 seconds after he tied the game at 58 on a triple and then hit the buzzer beater.Â
>> It was the second buzzer-beater for the Red Flash in 15 days after Paris Papadatos beat the horn in an 85-82 win against FDU on January 4. Harrison had the assist on Papadatos' game-winner.
>> Harrison finished with a team-high 16 points, while Chris Moncrief (15 points) and Skylar Wicks (11 points) also reached double figures in the win.
>> Dating back to the 2025 NEC Tournament, the Loretto program has won its last six games against Division I and NEC opponents by three points or less.
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Trailing 54-47 with 3:01 on the clock, a cardiac win did not seem in the cards, but if you have seen the Flash play, then you know the team has a chance. The key point in the comeback might have been a Gestin Liberis offensive rebound and a kick-out to Harrison with 1:03 left to tie the game at 58.Â
A missed Stonehill jumper, a Moncrief rebound, and the front end of two free throws with 38 ticks left gave Saint Francis a 59-58 edge. Another missed 3-pointer by the Skyhawks, a Liberis defensive rebound, and a free throw put the Red Flash up two points with 16 seconds left.Â
Saint Francis faithful almost had to relive the 2023 Robert Morris game-winner nightmare from the bench corner on Monday as Stonehill took a one-point lead on a trey with 3.7 seconds left.
However, Harrison inbounded the ball to Moncrief, who passed the ball back to Harrison. The senior raced up the floor to about 35 feet away and dialed up long distance and twinkled the twine just as the game clock expired.
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FLASH QUOTES
"It didn't feel real when I took the shot. I think my feet move faster than me. I feel that it was enough time for me to get my shot off. With three seconds left, I can still find guys, but the Stonehill defender gave me too much space, and I took the shot."
- Ahmad Harrison on the game-winner
"Awesome gritty win. We talked at halftime about being resilient. On a night when it felt like nothing was falling, we kept challenging and pushing each other. I'm really proud of these guys fighting through to get the win."
- head coach Luke McConnell on the win
"The nice thing is that we have been here before. As a coach, you put the ball in your player's hands and trust that they will make plays. They continue to do that, and I am really proud of them."
- McConnell on trusting the players in key moments
"I love our chances with my guys. Like coach said, he believes in us and believes that we will put the ball in the right player's hands."
- Chris Moncrief on winning close games dating back to last year's tournament run
"I try to embody being a selfless guy and do whatever I can to help the team get the win."
- Gestin Liberis on what he brings to the team
"I think that was the first time I smiled all day. Gestin came in, got the board, and found Ahmad. As soon as it left his hands, I knew it was going in."
- McConnell on Liberis' rebound and Harrison's game-tying 3-pointer
"Gestin played a huge part. That was a big rebound. My shot was good, but without Gestin, we don't stand a chance of winning the game. Gestin has been playing really well like a big, big, and we need that." - Harrison on Liberis
FLASH MOMENTSÂ
Harrison keyed the 16-7 win to end the game with seven points, including the two 3's.
Zion Russell also had five points in the surge. The Red Flash had eight rebounds in the final 3:01 of the game after posting 23 boards in the first 37 minutes of the tilt.
Wicks powered a 9-2 run with four points, including a dunk to give the Red Flash an 11-6 lead with 13:05 left in the first quarter, its largest lead of the game.
Another 9-2 surge was led by Wicks, who scored five points to tie the game at 31 with 14:46 left.
The Red Flash posted nine of 13 points, led by four free throws by
Ralph Martino, Jr., to trim a margin to three points with 4:50 left.
FLASH NUGGETS
Harrison was 1-for-4 from behind the arc before his two 3-balls. He finished 6-for-15 from the floor, 3 of 6 from 3-point land. He is averaging 16.5 points per game in his last two tilts after posting a season-high 17 points against CCSU on Saturday. Harrison has recorded back-to-back 10+ point games for the third time this season and the second time in conference play.
Moncrief tied his season high with his 15 points, a mark he also hit against Wagner on January 8, while he had 14 points in the win against the Knights. The senior is averaging 14.7 points per game in the three NEC wins this season. Moncrief had four steals, one off his career-high of five thefts against Chicago State on March 1, 2025.
Wicks stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, six steals, two blocks, and an assist. The six thefts are a career-high and marked the first time a Red Flash player has posted five steals in a game since Moncrief's game in the 2025 regular season finale. It is the seventh time this season he has grabbed at least eight caroms, and the sixth time he has had multiple steals.
Russell finished the game with nine points, while Liberis had three points, five rebounds, and two assists. He had one point, two rebounds, and an assist in the final three minutes.
The Frankies have won both second games of the weekend by a buzzer-beater at DeGol Arena and improved to 3-3 in NEC play.
Saint Francis won all three games in the 2025 NEC Tournament by three points each, and has a pair of two point wins and a three-point decision this season against NEC opponents.
The win ended a three-game losing streak against Stonehill and improved the team to 3-1 against the Skyhawks.
It marked the 15th time Saint Francis has played on MLK Day. The Red Flash ended an 11-game losing streak that day, with the last win a 78-70 decision against Quinnipiac on January 18, 1999, at DeGol Arena.
NEXT ON TAP
Saint Francis completes its three-game homestand against Chicago State on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m.
