(Valhalla, NY) - It was the most ridiculously unpredictable, wildly uncomfortable, painfully mysterious, insanely iffy blowout win, perhaps in the history of the Westchester Community College Men's Basketball program ... the kind of game that should have been held nine days ago, just in time for trick-or-treating. It was just nuts. On one hand, Westchester Community College cruised to a 96-74 win over visiting Dutchess Community College to improve to 3-0 for the 2021-2022 season. On the other hand, they did not cruise at all ... or perhaps they cruised too much. In any case, it was the kind of night on the basketball court that displayed just how good this Vikings team can be ... when they aren't playing poorly.

How bizarre was this win? Westchester CC opened the game on runs of 11-2, 16-4, and 22-6, before a Nokio Kennedy (Yonkers, NY/Palisade Prep) three-pointer with 12:02 to play in the opening stanza gave the Vikings a 31-11 lead, and Westchester seemingly had the game in control. However ... they didn't.

For the next 3:16, Dutchess (1-2) went on a 10-0 run to make it a 31-21 game, and the Falcons weren't finished there. After an Isaiah Murphy (White Plains, NY/White Plains HS) with 7:35 to play in the first half made it 33-23, Westchester scored two points over a span of 5:30, while Dutchess went on a 12-2 run to tie the score 37-37 with 2:06 to play. The teams then traded baskets down the stretch, and the Vikings led 42-41 at halftime.

The utter insanity did not end there. Dutchess completed the comeback at 19:54 of the second half to take a 43-42 lead. And just when it seemed like the second half would be a battle to the finish, the game essentially ended. The Vikings went on an 11-2 run to make it a 54-44 game with 16:47 to play. 30 seconds later, a Dutchess basket closed the gap to 54-48, but from there, the Vikings went on a 14-3 run to make it 68-51 with 12:54 remaining in the game. The Falcons did not get within 15 points for the remainder of the game.

All five Viking starters scored in double figures as sophomore Malik Moore (Tuckahoe, NY/Tuckahoe HS) scored a season-high 20 points, and added seven rebound and six steals, while Noe Fleurimond (Greenburgh, NY/Woodlands HS) notched a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds, to go with six assists. Freshman Jonathan Blumrick (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Heights HS-TX) had 14 points and eight rebounds, while fellow freshman Kai Parris (Bronx, NY/Riverdale Kingsbridge) added 12 points.

Also for the Vikings, freshman Eisaiah Murphy (White Plains, NY/White Plains HS) added 18 points, seven rebounds, and six steals.

Westchester shot 49% from the floor for the game, compared to 44% for Dutchess, and held a 44-39 rebounding edge. The Vikings also turned the ball over 16 times, compared to 23 by Dutchess.

Westchester CC returns to action on Thursday, Nov. 11 when the Vikings travel to Bronx Community College for a 7:00 p.m. game.