By Paul Gotham
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – Brandon Bullock (Killeen, TX/ Harker Heights) led the way as the Finger Lakes Community College Lakers erased a double-digit deficit and went on to defeat the Monroe Community College Tribunes, 87-82 in NJCAA action on “Putt” Moore Court, Tuesday night.
Bullock netted a team-high 19 points including a steal and layup as FLCC rallied from 16 down in the second half.
“I didn’t think we were going to be pull that off,” Bullock said. “We kept ourselves in the game.”
The sophomore guard also handed out a game-high five assists, grabbed three rebounds and collected two steals before fouling out after 29 minutes of playing time.
“I needed to get my teammates involved,” Bullock commented. “That’s how you win games.
Trailing by a dozen, Kievonn Banks (Rochester, NY/Charlotte) scored four straight. Rahiem Robinson (Hartford, CT/ Stillwater Christian, NC) knocked down a catch-and-shoot jumper off an inbound pass, Torry Wright (Rochester, NY/ Northeast-Northwest Prep) converted a rebound and putback to cut into MCC’s lead at 72-68 with 8:36 remaining in the game.
Wright gave Finger Lakes its first lead since 10-9 with a pair of free throws for an 80-79 edge with 3:20 left on the clock. The freshman guard converted two more from the charity stripe, and FLCC led 80-79.
Anthony Hemingway (Brooklyn, NY/NIA School) tied the game at 82 with a 3-pointer from the right corner, but FLCC tallied the last five points of the game.
“We got away from everything we were doing right in the half,” said Monroe head coach Jerry Burns. “They played a lot harder in the second half and got to a lot more loose balls. They were getting dribble penetration and kicking it to open guys.”
After shooting better than 50 percent from the field for the first half, the Tribunes hit just 12 of 41 shots from the floor including only 3 of 15 behind the arc.
“We were so worried about their penetration that we didn’t cover the pass,” FLCC coach Richard Jones explained. “When they got in the lane, we weren’t there on the pass. We kept trying to do too much on the 3-pt. arc. We backed off and were better able to defend.”
Monroe hit just two field goals in the final 7:00 of the game including a possession where they missed three shots.
“When you miss those easy ones, it just sucks the life out of you,” Burns noted.
FLCC’s defense created 22 turnovers which the Lakers converted into 24 points. Monroe managed just seven points off turnovers.
FLCC outscored their counterparts 25-16 from the free throw line.
Monroe drilled a barrage of 3s to take their first double-digit lead of the night.
Artice Jackson (Baltimore, MD/ Millford Mill Academy) nailed a pull-up trey from the left corner. Then Izaha Jackson (Brooklyn, NY/ West Side) connected from behind the arc in transition. After Elijah Tillman (Garnerville, NY/ North Rockland) finished off the window, Hemingway landed a three on an inbound play, and MCC led 36-24.
Bullock scored five straight late in the first stanza to keep FLCC within striking distance. The sophomore guard hit one of two from the free throw line. Then he went the length of the floor for a layup. His converted a pair of free throws, and FLCC trailed, 40-33 with 3:29 to go before the break.
Monroe picked up where it left off to start the second half.
Elijah Tillman (Garnerville, NY/ North Rockland) grabbed his own miss and scored. Izaha Jackson scored on a drive in the lane. Artice Jackson knifed through the lane for a putback jam. Tillman used a drop step to score. Artice Jackson finished a 2-on-1 break, and Izaha Jackson hit a catch-and-shoot three for MCC’s largest lead of the night at 63-47.
The Lakers slowly whittled away at the deficit.
“It’s a tough situation for them,” Jones said of MCC. “For our kids from Rochester, it means a lot. Our kids are motivated because of that.”
Banks added 13 for the Lakers. Raymond Sims, Jr. (Geneva, NY/ Geneva) chipped in 16. Dylan Verkey (Seneca Falls, NY/ Mynderse) scored 13. Wright pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
Hemingway led all scorers with 21. The sophomore guard scored Monroe’s first nine. Artice Jackson tallied 15. Izaha Jackson had 12, and Devin Coleman Bridgeport, CT/ Bassick) added 10. Jayquan Ashley (Brooklyn, NY/ NIA School) corralled eight boards. Monroe outrebounded Finger Lakes, 43-39.
Akeem Krubally (Mount Vernon, NY/ Mount Vernon) handed out four assists for the Tribs.
FLCC travels to Columbia-Greene CC for a 3 p.m. tipoff, Saturday.
Monroe hosts the Murph Shapiro tournament a week from Saturday. The Tribunes will take on SUNY-Delhi in the first game. A 4 p.m. start is slated.
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