For the second time in less than 24 hours, the College of Staten Island men’s basketball team fell victim to an overtime loss, this time falling to Adrian College by a 66-63 count in day two of competition in the 14th annual Lycoming College Tip-Off Classic. CSI, which dropped a 90-86 overtime decision at the hands of Lycoming College last night, fell to 0-2, while the Bulldogs, 77-51 winners over Hunter College last night, improved to 2-1 on the season.
In a game that featured eight ties and 19 lead changes, Adrian went up by as many as seven points in the initial stanza, as CSI was mired in poor shooting, connecting on just 9-of-24 first half shots (37.5%). The Dolphins had a modest three point lead in the early stages, when a pair of Jordan Young freebies and a Dylan Bulger layup gave CSI a 10-7 lead at 10:56. From there, however, Adrian went on an immediate 6-0 run, capped by an Eric Lewis trey, and the Bulldogs never surrendered the lead in the first frame.
The Bulldogs led by as many as seven points, using a pair of Delano Collins free-throws to go up, 27-20, with 2:37 to go. A Dale Taranto layup at the buzzer did trim the lead to 29-25 at halftime.
As quickly as falling behind, CSI pulled ahead in the second half, sparked by an 8-0 run to make it 35-33 in the Dolphins’ favor with three layups by Young to anchor. Unfortunately the senior was plagued with foul trouble keeping him on the sidelines soon after. The lead then changed hands six times over the next 12 minutes, until finally; CSI secured a 57-56 lead after two free throws by Javon Cox and a T.J. Tibbs jumper from the foul line with just eight seconds left.
The Dolphins then got hit with a tough foul, as Bloochy Magloire was charged with obstructing AC’s Brad Whitby as he tried to navigate the sideline, butting Whitby at the foul line with 4.7 seconds left. Whitby made one for two from the line and CSI called timeout with 4.1 seconds left and the score tied. With a chance to win, Bulger could not handle an inbounds pass at half court and Adrian actually got off a heave that fell wide as time expired, guaranteeing overtime.
CSI then fell victim to its own errors in the extra session. A three-point play by Magloire gave CSI a 63-61 lead with 2:38, but from there the Dolphins did not register another shot, and they turned the ball over on two consecutive possessions while AC’s Lewis nailed a layup in the lane and then Collins converted with the shot clock off on another play with 1.2 seconds left to stake Adrian to the 66-63 edge. Down to a final gasp, CSI’s Herschel Jenkins tossed up a desperation shot from well beyond halfcourt that slammed hard off of the backboard to seal the win for Adrian.
Adrian was led by Lewis’ 16 points, while Collins and Whitby added 13 each. Fouled out, Young led the Dolphins with 20 points and 9 rebounds, while Tibbs poured in 15 points and five rebounds and assists, earning All-Classic honors.
CSI will next be in action a week from today, when they travel to face Montclair State University.
