JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College men's basketball carried its halftime lead for the third consecutive game Thursday evening, securing a 68–53 CUNYAC victory over the defending league champion John Jay College Bloodhounds (2–8, 0–2 CUNYAC) inside York College Gymnasium.

How it Happened

• Both teams stayed close in the first half, trading six lead changes.
• Christopher Smith sank consecutive jumpers to give York a 4–3 advantage at the 18:14 mark.
• Jamir Stewart then scored six points during a 15–6 John Jay run, pushing the Bloodhounds ahead 18–10 with just under 10 minutes remaining.
• The Cardinals responded with 13 of the next 17 points, fueled by Bryce Haynes' nine-point stretch, and took a 23–22 lead on Smith's layup with 2:29 remaining in the half.
• Smith's jumper at 1:14 gave York a four-point edge (27-23) before Amare Jordan's layup with four seconds on the clock closed out a 27-25 first half.
• The Cardinals came out strong in the second half, opening with an 11–0 run to take a 38–25 lead, while their pressure forced John Jay into a cold stretch, missing all nine field-goal attempts. 
• Following a pair of John Jay free throws, York responded with a 13-4 rip, capped by Joshua Jackman's 3-pointer to push the lead to 51–31 with 7:25 remaining in the stanza. 
• From there, John Jay outscored York down the stretch, but the Cardinals' earlier lead was enough to carry them to a 15-point triumph.

Leading the Cardinals

• Smith scored 12 of his career-high 23 points (8-of-19 FG, 7-of-10 FT) during the first half and finished with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block.
• Haynes sparked York off the bench with a season-best 12 points (4-of-8 FG, 3-of-4 FT).
• Jackman (10) and Bryan Godette (9) provided presence in the paint with 19 combined rebounds.
• Oke Okrokoto chipped in six points, five rebounds, and two blocks in just nine minutes off the bench.
• Defensively, Jonte Wallace and Benjamin Grant each nabbed two steals.

For John Jay

• Stewart poured in a team-leading 20 points.
• Keyshawn Miller recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a game-best five assists and three steals.
• Jordan chipped in with nine points (4-of-6 FG) off the bench.
• Adrien Kopec contributed eight points and eight rebounds.   

Inside the Box Score
York shot 38.3 percent (23-of-60) from the floor, 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from beyond the arc, and a clutch 72 percent (18-of-25) from the charity stripe. Tough Cardinal defense held the Bloodhounds to 23.6 percent (17-of-72) and 20 percent (60-of-20) from downtown. Additionally, York had the edge in rebounds (54-45), assists (12-11), steals (9-5), and blocks (8-2). The hustle stats also went in favor of the Cardinals, leading in fast break points (16-9) and second chance points (13-7).

Up Next 
The Cardinals (2-6) wrap up non-conference play on Saturday (Dec. 13), with a home matchup against the Pratt Institute Cannoneers (6-3), tipping off at 12 p.m. inside York College Gymnasium.

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