York College

Box Score

JAMAICA, NY—  Four player scored in double-figures for the York College men’s basketball team as they went on to defeat Baruch College, 66-55, in a City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) contest on Thursday evening.  The Cardinals picked up their third straight victory as they improved to 9-5, 2-1 in the CUNYAC.

Marcel Esonwune (Nigeria/ Marist Brothers) led York with a double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 boards, while blocking four shots.  Omari Phipps (Laurelton, NY/ St. Johns Prep) finished with 12 points and nine boards, while Chris Roberts (Jamaica, NY/ Springfield Gardens) netted 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds.  Aaron Wilson (Brooklyn, NY/ Thomas Jefferson) scored 11 points in his first game of the season.

The game was tight in the early-going, with York holding a slight advantage through the midpoint of the first half.   With York leading 12-9, the Cardinals went on a 10-2 run capped off by two free throws by Wilson to give York a 22-11 lead with 6:05 left in the half.  However Baruch would cut the lead to 24-18 on a jumper by William Falkenheimer with 1:57 remaining before halftime   York would finish out the final two minutes of the first half strong.  A lay-up by Esonwune as time expired gave the Cardinals a 29-20 advantage going into the locker room.  

In the second half, York extended their lead to as many as 14 points, 39-25, on a jumper by Phipps with 14:17 remaining.  However, the Bearcats would claw back and got within four points, 48-44, with at the 7:21 mark.   That would be as close as Baruch could the rest of the game as York held off the Bearcat run in the final seven minutes. 

Tammer Farid led Baruch (4-8, 3-1 CUNYAC) with 13 points, while George Kunkel finished with eight points and 13 rebounds.

The Cardinals post players dominated inside as York outrebounded Baruch 48-28 leading to 23 second chance points.

York will visit Staten Island in a rematch of last year’s championship game on Saturday at 2:30 pm.