JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College men's basketball chipped away at a 13-point second-half deficit to pull within one Friday evening, but were unable to push past the Medgar Evers College Cougars (5-11, 2-4 CUNYAC) to fall 84-83 in CUNYAC action inside York College Gymnasium.  

Mambe Koureissi finished a feed in the paint from Donald Hartley, Jr. 29 seconds in to break the scoring ice for a 2-0 Cardinal advantage.  Medgar Evers responded with four 3-pointers during a stretch of 2:26 to grab a 15-6 lead at the 16:11 mark. After a Koureissi layup with 7:53 remaining, Devin Berrios connected on four of his seven first-half 3-pointers to push Medgar Evers' lead to 12 (46-34) at intermission.  

Playing with the lead for the final 29:12, Keison McIntosh stroked a 3-pointer at the 19:33 mark to extend Medgar Evers' lead to a game-high 13 points (49-36) early in the second half.  York then chipped away to pull within six points (65-59), but Medgar Evers replied and built the lead back to 12 (77-65).  Koureissi scored six of York's points during an 8-0 spurt that trimmed the lead to four (77-73).  Trailing by eight with 2:37 left, Akil Vaughn scored six points in the paint to pull York within two (84-82) with seven seconds showing on the clock. York raced down the floor and drew a foul to send Vaughn to the line, where he sank the first shot before his second rimmed out with 0.2 seconds remaining to settle the 84-83 setback. 

Koureissi finished with 22 points (8-of-12 FG, 2-of-4 3FG) and 12 rebounds to post his sixth double-double of the season.  Hartley, Jr. went for 20 points (9-of-16 FG), a career-high 11 assists (one turnover) and two steals to register his first-career double-double.  Jaye Bookhart scored 17 (7-of-14 FG) while Vaughn added 15 points (6-of-8 FG) and two blocks. 

Medgar Evers was paced by Berrios, who tallied 28 points (8-of-13 3FG), seven assists and two steals.  Naquavah Jackson chipped in 19 points and Tyrese Gibbs added 10 to the win.  

In the end, York shot 54 percent from the field (34-of-63), 35.3 percent from 3-point range (6-of-17) and 64.3 percent from the free-throw line (9-of-14) as Medgar Evers landed 48.4 percent from the floor (30-of-62), 55.2 percent from beyond the arc (16-of-29) and 61.5 percent from the charity stripe (8-of-13).   The Cardinals outrebounded Medgar Evers by five (36-31) and scored 10 second-chance points off 12 offensive boards. York scored 46 points in the paint compared to Medgar Evers' 12, and also outplayed the Cougars in steals (7-5) and blocks (3-1). Both teams drew even with 16 points off turnovers while Medgar Evers held a 26-21 advantage in assists.  

The Cardinals (6-11, 2-5 CUNYAC) remain at home next Friday (Jan. 24) for a NABC Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers CUNYAC showdown against the Brooklyn College Bulldogs (7-8, 4-1 CUNYAC) at 7:30 p.m. inside York College Gymnasium. 

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