Bronx, N.Y. - A driving layup from Luis Hernandez in the closing seconds of regulation lifted the Lehman College men's basketball team to an 83-82 victory over the College of Staten Island In a game that was chosen the CUNYAC game of the week on Saturday in the Bronx. This one could have been a contender for game of the year as both sides switched leads back and forth throughout.
CSI had the hot hand early on, jumping out to a 12-6 lead just 4:35 into play. A Dolphins layup at 12:16 gave them an eight-point cushion, their largest lead of the half. Lehman fought back from there. The ensuing possession ended with a four-point-play from Hernandez and the Lighting were within four. After another CSI bucket, two straight hoops from Jean Marcial made the score 22-20 nearly midway through the half. A John Brens foul shot at 6:53 knotted the score at 26-all. Later, Mylo Mitchell made a gorgeous lob pass to Gabe Jeffers for a layup that made the score 28-28. Jeffers was a force inside for Lehman, collecting five points, two rebounds and an assist. CSI built the lead back to eight from there, but a Hernandez basket inside of 0:10 second made the score 40-38, Dolphins at the break.
Staten Island opened the second half with a 6-2 run to lead 46-40. Andrew Utate finally got Lehman on the board in the second half with a jumper to pull within four. Lehman trailed 49-43 with 16:48, when they rattled off a 7-0 run to take a 50-49 lead, their first of the half. Jeffers opened the scoring spree with two free throws. Hernandez followed with two more and then capped the run with a three-pointer. Hernandez carried Lehman for the next few minutes as the teams went back and forth. Christian Taylor put CSI ahead and Hernandez answered with a bucket. Adeola Latunji buried a three and Hernandez sank one of his own. Eventually CSI went up six with 11:34 left. Jean Marcial cut the deficit to three with a trifecta of his own. Hernandez followed with two foul shots and Lehman was within a point again. The game would be tied at 71-71 with 7:03 left.
From there, CSI went up two. The Lightning countered with five straight points from Mylo Mitchell and they led by three, 76-73. Another Mitchell bucket made the score 78-73 with 4:26 remaining. The Dolphins scored the next four points to pull within one, 78-77. Hernandez made another layup and Utate sank a freebie and Lehman led, 81-77. CSI answered with a bucket at the 2:30 mark and pulled within two, at 81-79. Neither team scored until the closing seconds of the game. Following a CSI timeout, Raymond Savage found Edin Bracic for a three-pointer that gave the Dolphins an 82-81 lead with 0:13 seconds left. Lehman called timeout. They would get the last possession.
Following the break, Hernandez got the ball at the top of the key. Using a Clinton Akalonu screen, Hernandez drove through the right side and scored a layup just as the buzzer sounded. Lehman prevailed, 83-82.
In the win, Hernandez totaled 32 points (one shy of his career high). Mitchell had 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Marcial finished with 13 and 11. Utate scored ten.
The victory was the 12th straight for the Lightning and improved the team's record to 20-4 overall and 13-1 in CUNYAC competition. The team concludes the regular season on Tuesday, February 13, when they host Hunter College at 7:30 PM.
