BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The York College men's basketball team and St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) were locked in a tight game all evening long, but the Cardinals came up short in the end, 72-69, due in large part to some sloppy play in the final seconds.
 
With York trailing by just one point, 70-69, with 33 seconds remaining, the Cardinals were given three chances to tie or send the game into overtime but turned it over each time, never getting off a shot before the final buzzer went off.
 
After getting a defensive stop, York had the ball with 33 seconds remaining, trailing by one point.  Following a timeout, the Cardinals had an opportunity to hold for a final shot, but a traveling violation with 10 seconds left gave the ball back to St. Joe's.
 
After a York foul, St. Joe's hit one of two shots to make it a two-point game.  Again York brought the ball up, but a bobbled pass went out of bounds.  St. Joseph's was fouled and hit one free throw again, now making it a three-point game with just four ticks left.  One final time, York would turn it over without ever getting a shot off, sealing the victory for the Bears.
 
In the loss, York (9-8) was led by Jaron Williams, who had a season-high 22 points, to go along with seven rebounds and two blocks.  Omar St. John had 13 points and Cyril Reid added eight.  St. Joseph's (11-6) had four players in double figures, led by David Louison with 22.  Alec Willis added 19 points.
 
The game started off much more promising than the way it ended, with the Cardinals jumping out to an 8-0 advantage. That would be York's largest lead of the game, as St. Joe's quickly cut into the deficit and eventually took the lead for the first time with 13:32 left in the first half.  The two teams would go into the locker room tied at 36-36.
 
The second half was back-and-forth as well.  St. Joseph's took an eight-point lead midway through the second half, which would also be its largest of the night.  But York closed the deficit as well, and it stayed a one or two-possession game until the final buzzer.
 
The win was the first-ever victory for St. Joseph's against York.  York had won the previous three meetings.
 
The Cardinals will look to get back on track on Wednesday, when they host Medgar Evers College at 8 p.m.