Warriors Win Overtime Thriller

ASTORIA,  NY –  Wednesday night in front of a over 300 spectators in the West Quad Center, the Vaughn College Warriors battled the Brooklyn College Bulldogs for 45 minutes. The game started off slow as both teams struggled to score from the field and limit their turnovers. The Bulldogs were able to convert easy points off of their full-court press as well as in their half-court pressure. Forward Egzon Gjonbalaj (Brooklyn College) stole the show in the first half with two highlight dunks off of steals and a running mid court 3-pointer just as the buzzer expired to end the first half of play. Gjonbalaj netted 15 points to go along with six rebounds, two assists, one block, and three steals.

The Bulldogs had a 10-point lead (49-39) over the Warriors at halftime. Poised play from guard Jamel Gist (Brooklyn College) and tremendous three point shooting by guard Jai Kellmen (Brooklyn College) helped increase the Bulldogs lead over the Warriors. Gist scored 18 points in the game, was 9-17 from the field and was a perfect 2-2 from the charity stripe. Kellmen had a team high 22 points, shooting 11-19 from the field, and converting on 3-5 field goals from three.

Down by as many as 17 points in the second half, the Warriors needed contributions from their core players as well as reserve players in order to get back in the game. Senior Warrior, and former Brooklyn College Bulldog, Jeffrey Noel, (Brooklyn, NY) recorded his first double-double of the season scoring 21 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Noel left the game late in the second half with a quad injury. Noel was not the only Warrior to suffer an injury in the second half of the game. Senior center, Ron Wyatt, (Washingtonville, NY) suffered a dislocated shoulder, and sophomore guard, Rashad Luckett, (Chicago, IL) suffered from a pulled hamstring.

With 10 minutes left in the game, the Warriors still found themselves down by double-digits and no sign of making a comeback. Freshmen guard Michael Pena (Dumont, NJ), and senior captain Jared Ndiba (Roxbury, NJ), were determined to not go down without a fight. Pena scored only three points in the first half, but had an offensive outburst in the second half, pouring in 22 points including five 3-pointers. Ndiba scored a season high 18 points and grabbed a season high eight rebounds, hitting a 3-pointer with less than a minute to go to give the Warriors an 83-81 lead over the Bulldogs. Center Juston Staton, (Brooklyn College) sent the game into overtime with a put back lay-up off of a missed jumpshot by Gjonbalaj (Brooklyn College) as time expired.

In the overtime period, Pena scored nine points to secure the Warriors victory over the Bulldogs. Pena finished with a season and career high 31 points. This was the first win for the Warriors over the Bulldogs, and the first time in the College's history that the Warriors defeated a CUNY opponent.

The Warriors are back in action Friday December 6, 2013 at York College; tip-off at 8p.m.