BRONX, N.Y. – The Lehman College men's basketball team opened the home portion of their schedule in grand fashion by coming from behind and knocking off William Paterson University, 68-59, on Wednesday evening. Lehman's rally occurred in the second half as the home team outscored the Pioneers 43-31 in the final 20 minutes.
"Tonight was a true team win," Lehman head coach, Steve Schulman said. "Everybody who stepped on the court made a positive contribution."
After falling behind, 35-27, with 17:05 left in regulation, the Lightning (2-1) answered by going on a 17-6 run in a span of 6:00 to take a 44-41 lead. Among the highlights during that run was a three-pointer by junior forward Jerrome Jones (Bronx, N.Y./Mount Vernon) to slice Lehman's deficit to three with 15:29 remaining. On Lehman's next possession, senior guard Jonathan Greenfield (Hartford, Conn./Windsor) knocked down a shot of his own from beyond the arc, to tie the contest at 37. With 11:05 left to play in the second stanza, Greenfield fed the ball to junior guard Edwin Diaz (Washington Heights, N.Y./Norman Thomas) who laid the ball up and in to extend Lehman's lead to 44-41.
Later in the half, the Pioneers (1-1) sliced Lehman's lead to one but the Lightning immediately countered by scoring the next eight points, highlighted by a pair of field-goals from inside the arc by junior forward Chaun Miller (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eleanor Roosevelt), to give Lehman a more comfortable nine-point advantage with just 5:10 left to play.
Jones successfully attacked the basket and laid the ball up and in to give Lehman an 11-point lead, the largest of the night, with just 1:43 left to play. Lehman would go on to win the game, 68-59.
Greenfield led the Lightning in scoring with 22 points, blocked two shots, and forced two steals. Jones scored 17 points and had six rebounds, while junior guard Olando Minott (Bronx, N.Y./Samuel Gompers) grabbed six boards of his own. Freshman guard John Brens (Washington Heights, N.Y./Riverside Christian Academy) led the team with four assists, while sophomore forward Driton Hasangjekaj (Bronx, N.Y./DeWitt Clinton) and Minott each dished out three.
The Lightning will once again play in the friendly confines of the APEX Main Gym for another non-conference game, against Bard College, on Saturday, at 2:00 p.m.