The Berkeley College New York women's basketball team defeated Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for the first time in their brief history by a score of 59-56 to improve to 11-8 overall and 4-1 in the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference.
The Knights started the game poised as both teams were
exchanging baskets for the first five minutes of play. Berkeley College then
went on a mini 6-0 run to take a 14-7 lead, sparked by an Olivia Byfield
and-one off an offensive rebound. The Panthers would come back to within one
point, 16-15, on a free throw by Alexa Schooley, however, the Knights quickly
turned in an 8-0 run to go up, 24-15, with 3:34 remaining in the first half.
The Knights would extend to an 11 point lead twice before going into the locker
up, 31-20. Milan Germany led the Knights with 10 points, while Schooley led the
Panthers with 10 points as well.
The Knights would extend their lead to 14 points in the
opening three minutes of the second half but the Panthers were not fazed as
they used that as motivation to make a strong comeback, using a 6-0 run to get
them under ten points. Then, with 13 minutes remaining in the game both teams
traded baskets as Berkeley maintained their lead for a while, until Kelsey
Johnson drained a lay-up that tied the game at 52-52 with four minutes
remaining in the game. Germany scored on the Knights next possession to re-take
the lead, 54-52. After a few missed shots by both teams, the Panther’s Schooley tied
the game at 54-54 with 2:21 remaining.
Turnovers would haunt both teams in the
next couple of possessions and with just over one minute to play; Aiyesha Brown
hit a three pointer that put the Knights up, 57-54. About a minute
later, Germany came up with a steal that led to a Rachel Thomas fast-break
lay-up, which would ice the game for the Knights.
Berkeley College was led by Germany’s 17 points and eight
steals. Tierra Williams grabbed nine boards and couple of key baskets, while
Brown chipped in with 14 points and six rebounds.
