Dec. 30, 2010

Box Score

One day before the calendar officially turns to 2011, the Lehman men's basketball team closed out 2010 on a winning note, holding off a late-charging Rutgers-Camden team to earn the 63-52 victory Thursday night in the Bronx.

The Lightning was in command throughout the game's opening 20 minutes, building an 11-point halftime lead, 41-30, behind a strong shooting effort by the team (41% FG, 42% 3-point FG) and 15 points from Jonathan DeJesus.

However, Lehman's fortunes changed in the second half. After Samuel Batista's basket made the score 45-34 with 16:24 remaining, the Lightning managed only two points over a nearly ten minute stretch. During that period the Raptors twice cut the deficit to one, first at 45-44 on a three-pointer by Shawn Greene, and the second time at 47-46 on Alex Rislin's jumper with 6:34 remaining.

With Rutgers-Camden knocking on the door and poised to take the lead George Nimmons canned a clutch three-pointer to give the Lightning some breathing room. Two possessions later a scary moment ensued when DeJesus hit the floor in a heap, the result of an intentional foul by Jared Meredith. Upon gathering himself, DeJesus knocked down one of two free throws to extend the Lightning lead to 51-46.

Batista's third three-pointer of the game with 3:06 to go gave Lehman the 55-47 advantage, but it wasn't until Patryk Odedina absorbed a hard foul while converting on a layup attempt to make the score 57-49 that the Lightning could feel that the outcome was all but decided with only 1:34 remaining.

Some additional chippiness ensued over the final minute and a half as Lehman closed things out on free throws by Alain De La Cruz, Batista and Nimmons.

Lehman was led on the night by DeJesus who finished with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Batista chipped in 15 points while Chukwuma Ndukwe was a force on the defensive end with 11 rebounds and three blocks before fouling out late in the second half.

The Lightning hits the road to kick off the new year, traveling to Maryland to take on Stevenson University on Monday.