YORK, PA – The York College Spartans opened the 2023-24 season with a 70-42 win over Juniata in the opening round of the 16^th Annual Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in York. The Spartans outscored the Eagles 31-13 in the third quarter to turn a close game into a more lopsided affair.
York improves to 1-0 and advances to the tournament championship game while the Eagles fall to 0-1.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans and Eagles struggled in the first quarter as neither team was on target. York scored the first bucket of the season on a Breana Grim scoop and score just eight seconds into the game. Taylor Burda split a pair of free throws just over 40 seconds later for the 3-0 lead. The Spartans went over five minutes before the scored again but York ended the quarter on an 8-1 run to take an 11-6 lead after one quarter of play.
• The second quarter was closer as the Spartans outscored Juniata 13-10 but poor shooting prevented the Green and White from stretching out the lead. York shot just 23.1% in the quarter including 0-for-5 from three but the Spartan defense forced 13 second quarter turnovers for the Eagles as they took a 24-16 lead to the intermission.
• The third quarter was where York turned the game around. York began the quarter with an 11-4 kick started by a Makenna Zimmerman three-point play. The Spartan lead ballooned to 26 on a Burda triple with 15 seconds left in the quarter. The 31 points was seven more points than they scored in the first two quarters of the game.
• York finished the game outscoring Juniata 15-13 in the fourth with a number of Spartan reserves getting valuable playing time.
 
By The Numbers
York finished the game shooting 38.2% from the floor, 27.3% (6-for-22) from three and 66.7% (12-for-18) from the stripe … the Spartans forced 26 Eagle turnovers in the game as they turned those miscues into 18 points …  Juniata shot 25.5% from the floor, 20% (4-for-20) from three and 12-for-22 (54.5%) from the stripe … York dominated the glass as they held a 51-36 edge in rebounding which led the Spartans turned into 11 second-chance points … York had a big 32-18 margin in points in the paint … the Spartans' largest lead was 37 on a Mackenzie Brezovec lay-up with 4:59 left in the game.
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans improve to 11-8 all-time against the Eagles as York has won four straight in the series … York is now 22-9 all-time in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic … Breana Grim made her Spartan debut a memorable one as she poured in 18 point on 7-of-9 shooting including 2-of-3 from three and 2-of-3 from the stripe … Grim also had seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals … senior Alyssa Hocker had a great start to her season with her first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds … Hocker also had two assists and two steals … sophomore Makenna Zimmerman made her Spartan debut a successful one as she recorded her first collegiate double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds … junior Taylor Burda was the fourth Spartan in double figures with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals … in all, eight Spartans made their York College debut in the game. 
 
Up Next
The Spartans will play the winner of the Mary Washington/Grove City semifinal on Saturday in the championship game of the tournament at 3:00 pm. Juniata plays in the consolation game at 1:00 pm. The Spartans will be trying to win their ninth CVC tournament title.