NY MEN FALL TO WILKES AT MONARCH CLASSIC
WILKES-BARRE, PA – The NY men’s basketball team rallied late in their game versus Wilkes University but fell short 67-63 in the opening day of the Monarch Classic at King’s College on a snowy day in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
The Knights got off to a fast start with senior guard Jovan Bovell (Jamaica, NY/Jamaica) hitting a jumper and nailing a three-pointer for a 11-4 lead, but the Colonels (4-3) recovered and grabbed a 27-23 lead at the break. Berkeley sprinted out the gate to start the second half with senior guard Rich Rampersad (Bronx, NY/Lehman) leading the charge with ten points. Fellow senior guard Alex Loniakan (New York, NY/Frolunda) drained a long trey to propel the Knights back into the lead 42-41 with 12:37 to play, which would be their last lead of the game. Wilkes connected on three consecutive threes on an ensuing 9-1 run to pull out to a seven point lead 50-43 with 9:49 remaining. The Knights would get no closer than two points the rest of the way in dropping their second game in a row and fell to 5-3 for the season.
Sophomore guard Keenan Langston (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Academy) led Berkeley with 21 points. Rampersad was the only other Knight to finish in double digits with 16 points. Senior center Elijah Craig (Brooklyn, NY/Seward Park) tallied ten rebounds and added seven points. Ahmed Dickerson (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls), making his first start of the season, turned in a strong effort with eight rebounds and four points.
Four Wilkes players scored in double figures with senior guard Pat Furst leading the Colonels with 13 points.
Berkeley faces host King’s College (4-4) in a 3:00PM matchup to close out the Monarch Classic. The game can be viewed with Live Stats (http://www.sidearmstats.com/kings/mbball/).
