Jamaica, NY | The College of Staten Island Men's Basketball team saw their losing streak extend to three games, as they fell on the road to York College, 74-59. The Dolphins fell to 4-9 overall, while the Cardinals upped their record to 5-8.
It was a promising start for the Dolphins, but a cold scoring spell and a big York run opened up a huge first half lead, and the home side was able to roll the rest of the way for the 15-point win.
For CSI, it was the
Adeola Latunji show to open the game, as the senior scored the Dolphins' first 10 points, helping CSI to a 10-5 lead 4:27 into the contest. Three-pointers by Donald Hartley, Jr., and Devine Chisolm, started a string of five lead changes over the next three minutes. CSI held a 15-13 lead on a
Chris Velasquez three, but Jaye Bookhart and Akil Vaughn bagged consecutive baskets to give York back the lead, one they would never relinquish.
A 14-1 York run helped build the lead to 31-17 with 6:22 to play in the first half. Bookhart bagged two field goals in the run as York sank four three-pointers in the stretch. Mired in poor shooting, CSI never could recover, connecting on just 2-11 in the final five minutes, as York ballooned the lead to 41-24 at the midway point.
CSI would follow with six-straight missed field goals in the second frame combined with a trio of turnovers. York, however, could not capitalize, only extending the lead two more points before CSI knocked the lead to 11, 48-37, on an emphatic dunk by Latunji. Inside of 10 minutes to play, CSI could not seize the momentum, as York rolled out a 9-2 run immediately following the slam.
Forced into making a final run to crawl back into it, CSI did deliver, putting together an 8-0 run in just under a minutes to make it a 63-53 game with 3:05 to go, spearheaded by a three-point play by Latunji. CSI then had two possessions to cut that same deficit down, but a pair of three-point misses, followed by a Mambe Kourieissi lay-up iced the game with 1:27 to go. From there, York was put to the free-throw line, ultimately prevailing, 74-59.
York was led by Bookhart's 23 points, while Chisolm powered in 15 points with 11 rebounds. Hartley, Jr. finalized with 10 points while Vaughn finished with nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. CSI saw Latunji lead the was with 30 points on 11-26 shooting. he also led the way with eight rebounds. CSI was out-rebounded, 59-45, as the Dolphins also shot just 29.6% from the floor next to York's 32.4%.
With little rest for the weary, CSI will get right back to work on Wednesday, as they will face Hunter College on the road at 7 PM.
