JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College men's basketball returned to home court Friday (Jan. 12) in a back-and-forth CUNYAC affair against the Brooklyn College Bulldogs (3-13, 3-2 CUNYAC).  The Cardinals erased an early deficit but were unable to pull away from Brooklyn in a highly contested 70-67 setback inside York College Gymnasium.

How it Happened

• Brooklyn took advantage of a slow start to grab an early 8-0 edge as the Cardinals misfired on four attempts from the floor to open the game.  
• A triple by Malik Dale punctuated a quick 17-8 edge for the Bulldogs. 
• Storming back, Olawale Kila's jumper gave the Cardinals their first lead of the game (18-17).
• A 3-point bomb by Aidony Nivar at the 6:42 mark of the first half gave York its largest first-half advantage (27-23).
• Buckling down on defense, Brooklyn went on a 15-2 charge to go up 38-29 with 45 seconds. 
• York sliced into Brooklyn's 38-31 halftime lead with a Nathaniel King  layup to close the scoring.
• An even beginning to the second half, the Bulldogs pushed their edge to eight (49-41) after Mekhi Barlow converted a layup with 13:29 remaining in the game. 
• Digging deep on defense, the Cardinals went on a 13-2 burst to take a 54-51 lead after Rohan Singh's 3-pointer at the 6:40 mark.
• Dale responded with two-consecutive 3-pointers to give Brooklyn a 57-54 advantage.
• Nivar tied the game at 57 and pulled the Cardinals within one (61-60) after a downtown connection with 3:15 left.
• Brooklyn looked to seal the game after a 9-2 spurt made it a 70-62 game with 25 seconds showing on the clock.
• A layup by Kila and a 3-pointer by Singh made it a one possession game (70-67) with just over five seconds remaining.
• After a tie up, Singh drew an offensive foul to give York a chance to tie the game with 2.6 seconds on the clock.
• Solid Bulldog defense prevented the Cardinals from getting a shot up at the buzzer, preserving a 70-67 triumph.

Leading the Cardinals

• Nivar netted a career-high 28 points (9-of-17 FG, 7-of-12 3FG, 3-of-3 FT) and totaled two steals.
• Kila recorded his seventh double-double of the season (16th career) with 19 points (9-of-18 FG) and a game-best 10 rebounds, to go along with two blocks.
• Singh had a solid all-around performance with 10 points, five rebounds, three swipes, and a season-high nine assists to only one turnover.
• Tyres Desinor grabbed eight boards, distributed seven assists, and tallied three steals.

For Brooklyn

• Dale led the Bulldog attack with 25 points (6-of-17 3FG) and added five rebounds.
• Aaron Davis scored an efficient 14 points (5-of-10, 2-of-6 3FG, 2-of-2 FT).
• Stephon McGill contributed 12 points (2-of-3 3FG, 4-of-4 FT) and nine rebounds.
• Serge Thraysbulle chipped in with team-highs in assists (6) and steals (3).
• Barlow swatted away a game-leading three shots.

Inside the Box Score

The Cardinals shot 39.1 percent (25-of-64) from the field, 40.9 percent (9-of-22) from 3-point territory and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from the free throw line. Brooklyn connected on 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the field, 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from long range and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the charity stripe.

Relatively even on the stat sheet, the Bulldogs had a marginal edge in rebounds (33-29) and blocks (6-3), while the Cardinals outplayed Brooklyn in assists (22-15), steals (8-5), and a +4 turnover margin (16-12 Brooklyn). Each program scored 26 points in the paint, although York took advantage of transition opportunities, turning 16 Bulldog follies into 25 points and claiming a 14-2 edge in fast break points. 

Up Next 
The Cardinals (3-12, 1-4 CUNYAC) finish their two-game homestand with a CUNYAC showdown Wednesday (Jan. 17) against the Baruch College Bearcats (9-7, 5-0 CUNYAC) starting at 7 p.m. from York College Gymnasium.Tune in with live stats and video by visiting yorkathletics.com/live.

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