OLD WESTBURY, NY --- (
www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College men's basketball opened its 2026-27 campaign Saturday afternoon with a non-conference road matchup against SUNY Old Westbury (1-0). Despite carrying a halftime advantage, the Cardinals were unable to sustain their momentum in the second half, falling to the Panthers, 84-66, inside Clark Athletic Center.
How it Happened
- Trailing 6-0 early, Jonte Wallace got York on the scoreboard with a layup just 1:35 into the contest.
- Down 15-8, Gozie Chinegwundoh sparked a Cardinals rally with a layup followed by a three-pointer, cutting the deficit to 15-13 with 11:26 remaining.
- Edgardo Sanchez capped an 11-2 York run by converting two free throws, giving the Cardinals their first lead of the afternoon, 19-17, with 7:49 on the clock.
- After Old Westbury briefly regained the advantage at 21-19, York closed the half strong, outscoring the Panthers 12-6 over the final 5:35. Wallace contributed five points from the free-throw line during the stretch as the Cardinals carried a 31-27 lead into halftime.
- Old Westbury opened the second half with a Christian Thomas free throw before Justin Caver connected from beyond the arc at the 19:11 mark to ignite a 13-0 York run. A three-pointer from Jayden Hall and a three-point play by Jaidan Johnson helped cap the surge, pushing the Cardinals ahead 41-31.
- The teams traded three-pointers, with Johnson knocking down another triple to keep York in front, 44-34, with 15:55 remaining.
- The Panthers responded with a 12-1 run to reclaim the lead, 46-45.
- Following Elijah Dias' layup, York briefly moved back in front, 50-49, for the final time.
- Old Westbury seized control with a decisive 17-3 run, building a 13-point advantage with 7:13 left.
- Hall connected on back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Cardinals within seven, 66-59, at the 6:40 mark, but York was unable to complete the comeback.
- The Panthers maintained control down the stretch, outscoring York 34-16 over the final 10:27, including an 18-7 advantage in the closing 6:24, to secure the 84-66 victory.
Leading The Cardinals
- Wallace scored 14 points (4-of-13 FG, 6-of-11 FT, while adding six rebounds (three offensive), and three steals.
- Hall also finished with 14 points (4-of-15 FG, 3-of-8 3FG, 3-of-4 FT), while recording a team-high five steals.
- contributed eight points, including two three-pointers on four attempts from beyond the arc.
- Eric Stubbs Jr. paced the Cardinals on the glass with seven rebounds and added two blocks.
- Dias and Malakai Clark each contributed two steals off the bench.
For Old Westbury
- Thomas led all scorers with a game-high 24 points (8-of-15 FG, 7-of-12 FT), while adding five rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
- Imole Akinwale recorded an all-around performance with 17 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and five steals.
- Jacob Henderson contributed 15 points (5-of-10 FG) and two steals.
- Mircea-Nicolae Simu finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Inside The Box Score
York shot 31.7 percent (19-of-60) from the field, 42.1 percent (8-of-19) from three-point range and 62.5 percent (20-of-32) from the free-throw line. Old Westbury finished 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the floor, 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from beyond the arc and 66.7 percent (26-of-39) at the charity stripe. The Cardinals held the advantage in bench scoring, outscoring the Panthers 21-14. Old Westbury controlled the glass with a 42-32 rebounding edge and also led in assists (15-10), steals (16-14) and blocks (5-2). The Panthers additionally held advantages in points in the paint (46-22), fast-break points (26-16) and points off turnovers (23-22).
Up Next
The Cardinals (0-1) return to action Thursday (Nov. 12) for their home opener against the Connecticut College Camels (0-0) starting at 7 p.m. inside York College Gymnasium.
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