BRONX, N.Y. – The Lehman College men's basketball team knocked off the defending CUNY Athletic Conference Tournament champion York College, 81-72, in the APEX Main Gym on Friday evening. With the win, the Lightning have now clinched home-court advantage in the Quarterfinals of the CUNY Athletic Conference Championships, which will take place on Sunday, February 22.
It was Senior Night, as Lehman College honored Jonathan Greenfield (Hartford, Conn./Windsor) with a ceremony prior to the start of the contest. The senior ended his home regular season career on a high note, leading the team with 23 points, four rebounds, and two assists. He shot 67 percent from the field.
Both teams were engaged in a tight contest throughout. With 7:10 remaining in regulation, York (13-11, 8-7 CUNYAC) was hanging on to a narrow 63-62 lead. That changed when junior guard Olando Minott (Bronx, N.Y./Samuel Gompers) grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed shot and laid the ball up and in, while being fouled to give Lehman (16-8, 11-4 CUNYAC) a one-point lead with 6:42 left to play in the second half. Minott successfully converted the free throw to extend Lehman's lead to 65-63.
After the Cardinals pulled to within two, freshman guard John Brens (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows) scored the game's next four points, all on free throws, to give the home team more breathing room, making the score 69-64, with 4:48 left to play. The Lightning continued to draw fouls and make their way to the free throw line, as Minott hit a pair to put Lehmam up 71-64, with 3:39 remaining in regulation time.
With less than a minute remaining, junior forward Jerrome Jones (Bronx, N.Y./Mount Vernon) found classmate Chaun Miller (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eleanor Roosevelt) who laid the ball up and in to increase Lehman's lead to 77-70. York was not able to make the game any closer, as the home team hit more free throws during the final minute to earn the key conference victory.
In the second half, the Lightning went 14-15 from the free throw line and 20-22 for the game.
The first half went back and forth, as both teams combined for 11 lead changes. With York up 21-19, Minott successfully converted a jump shot, while being fouled. He hit the free throw to put Lehman up 22-21, with 11:17 left until halftime. That would be the big play of the half, as it started a 10-2 run for the Lightning, capped off by a pair of free throws from Jones to put Lehman up 29-23, with 7:32 left in the opening half. The Lightning pulled away and went into intermission up 44-36.
York would rally to take a brief lead in the second, but the Lightning were able to regain the advantage and hit key free throws down the stretch to earn the win.
Minott scored 16 points, dished out six assists, had just as many rebounds, and successfully converted all eight of his free throw attempts. Miller added 15 points and eight boards, while Jones scored 11 with five rebounds and just as many assists. Brens had six points and six assists, while freshman guard Andrew Utate (Washington Heights, N.Y./Mount Saint Michael Academy) added seven points.
The Lightning will conclude the regular season on the road, for a key CUNY Athletic Conference game against the College of Staten Island, on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.