Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, NY – The York College men's basketball team turned in its best shooting performance of the season, shooting 57 percent (27-47) from the field and 56 percent from three-point range (9-16) and went on to route the College of Staten Island, 75-52, in a CUNY Athletic Conference match-up Saturday afternoon.
The contest was a complete 180 from the Cardinals previous game in which they had their worst shooting performance of the season. Nicholas Hamilton-Lopez and Elijah Evelyn were both on fire from the field. Hamilton-Lopez finished with 19 points on 7-11 shooting, including five three-pointers. Evelyn also netted 19 points and shot 80 percent from the field (8-10). Marcel Esonwune finished with 10 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, while Ryan Exum scored seven points and dished out eight assists.
The game looked to be close early on as the Dolphins held a narrow 17-15 lead with 9:23 to play in the first half. York then took over. Marcel Esonwune threw down a dunk to tie the game and Hamilton-Lopez drained a jumper and a three-pointer to put York up 22-17. After a pair of Esonwune free throws, York's David Simon netted a three-pointer and the Cardinals had a 27-17 lead. York would continue to extend the lead and went up by 15 (36-21) after Exum made a jump shot just before halftime.
In the second half, the Dolphins rallied and went on a 9-0 run to close within six points (43-37) with 12:44 to play. York responded, however, by scoring on its next three possessions. Exum and Evelyn each made lay-ups and Hamilton-Lopez drained a three-pointer in between to put York up 50-37. York would cruise the rest of the way.
The Cardinals have now won five straight and improve to 9-5, 3-0 in the CUNYAC, while Staten Island falls to 5-7, 2-2 in the CUNYAC. York will host Baruch College on Monday at 8:00 p.m.
