New York, NY | The College of Staten Island men’s basketball team saw their 10-game win streak come to an end tonight as they fell hard to John Jay College, 86-55, as part of CUNYAC play this evening. CSI fell to 12-7 overall and 8-2 in conference play while John Jay improved to 12-7, 6-4, respectively.
Adeola Latunji scored the game’s opening basket for CSI, but it was downhill from there for CSI. The home side would would race to an 11-0 run, setting the stage for a lop-sided evening. Romello Ford and Jerome Petty posted two baskets each in the run. A three-point play from Christian Taylor broke up the run, and later, an Andrew Kartalis jumper got CSI down to 15-8 with 13:21 to go in the opening half.
The teams stayed on par from there before the Bloodhounds made a key run to end the frame, a run they would ultimately spill over into the second half. Up 24-16 with 5:24 to go, JJC skated to a 15-3 run to close the frame. While CSI struggled mightily from the floor, shooting just 15% for the half, Ford started the run with a three, then added another. Jordan Aiken and Doug Levy capped the run with a pair of three’s as well.
At the half, JJC owned a 39-19 lead, and Levy would improve on the lead with another jumper to start the second half. From there, CSi could not cut the lead to fewer than 20, and at 8:57, a Kyle LaGuardia tip-in made it 72-41. The Dolphins tried to make things interesting when a Rigaud Destime three cut the deficit to 74-50, but a dunk by Levy resurrected the Bloodhounds and ultimately helped balloon the lead to as many as 32 before JJC settled for the 86-55 final.
Ford led the way for John Jay with 24 points, adding a team-high five assists. Levy and LaGuardia each posted 15 markers while Essien Epps posted seven points and a team-high nine rebounds. CSI was paced by Latunji’s 11 points, with Destime adding nine. John Jay won the rebounding war, 42-37 and forced 17 CSI turnovers.
For CSI, it was their second loss to John Jay this season, marking it the first season sweep of CSI by John Jay since 1992.
The Dolphins will look to bounce back on Saturday, when they host Medgar Evers College at The Tank at 1:00 pm. The game will be preceded by the Matty White Men’s Basketball Alumni Game at 11:00 am.
