Valhalla, NY – The Men's Basketball team opened up the 2023-24 season with two tough losses in the Johnny Jones Memorial Tip-Off Tournament this past weekend to Hostos Community College and Roxbury Community College.
GAME 1: 69-65 L Hostos 11/4
The Caimans would start the game with an 11-4 run thanks to four consecutive three-pointers.
Eli Hernandez would return the favor adding a three-pointer of his own cutting the early Hostos lead to four just after the 15 minute mark. The Caimans would eventually take a commanding 32-23 lead heading into halftime due to 14 Viking turnovers and a 29.6% (8-27) shooting percentage.
The second half saw SUNY Westchester's offense come to life. The Vikings would cut the Hostos lead down to two with six minutes remaining in the ball game.
Wyatt Triestman answered with 15 points in the second half along with
Aaron Nicholas' eight points and Hernandez's nine. With 44 seconds left in the game, Triestman would hit a big three pointer to bring the score to 67-65, however from there the Caimans would hold onto the victory.
GAME 2: 81-79 L Roxbury 11/5
What seemed to be a better offensive battle from the Vikings, the game began with a back-and-forth battle until about the 11-minute mark when
Yave Cruz would put Westchester up by eight with a layup. From there the Tigers would go on a 6-0 run to tie the game up at 19 followed by another Cruz lay-up and a chance to cover the three point play the old fashioned way thanks to a Tiger foul. Now up three, the battle continued again with both teams trading points. One minute remaining in the first-half, Roxbury would lead by five before adding a late lay-up before the buzzer. Both teams had 11 turnovers in the half while SUNY Westchester would edge the Tigers in steals 9-5.
The Vikings would begin the second half with an 8-2 run to cut the Roxbury lead to one and keep the game to a one-possession matchup. Westchester would regain the lead at the 14:45 minute mark thanks to a Cruz three-pointer. The Tigers would then add a 7-0 run of their own to regain the lead. Triestman, who finished the game with 21 points and 12 rebounds, would hit a clutch three with five and a half minutes remaining to bring the score to 73-71. Westchester would tie the game up with two and a half minutes left before a four-point spur was added by the Tigers. With just above a minute remaining in regulation time,
Mo Fofana would make a lay-up to pull the game within two. Timeouts and turnovers ensued and with nine seconds left on the clock, Westchester would be set up with a potential game winning shot. A steal by
Aaron Nicholas would set up a Triestman offensive rebound and a kickout to
Eli Hernandez. With a wide-open three, Hernendez just missed as the buzzer sounded.
The Vikings look to bounce into the win column with their next game this Thursday at 8pm when they travel down to Bronx Community College.
