General | 2/18/2021 11:00:00 AM

New York, New York - After back-to-back losses in the CUNYAC Community College Men's Basketball Championship finals, Borough of Manhattan Community College, for the first time since the 2014-15 season, are CUNYAC champions. To see how we got to this moment, we have to take a look back.
 
After the 2017 season, LaGuardia Community College left the conference as back-to-back champions, opening the door for the rest of the league to take the top spot. For the Panthers, it's an opportunity they've worked for since the offseason.
 
The coaching staff made major strides towards improving upon their 13-13 record in 2016-17, retaining two core players from the previous season while recruiting guards Curtis Smith (Brooklyn, NY), Quran Dublin (Harlem, NY) and Aliou Cisse (Harlem, NY).
 
Dublin averaged 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds at Percy E. Sutton HS. "Quran is a pure scorer, who can knock down a jumper as well as score at the rim," Panthers Head Coach Tommy Guerin said. "He brings a lot to the table, obviously we've seen what he can do to teams with his offense, but his high basketball IQ is what really separates him from other high school players, and that will make him an excellent fit for our team."
 
In just his second year as the Panthers head coach, Guerin guided BMCC to a league best 21-8 overall record with a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play. Under his tutelage, BMCC placed in the top-10 in the nation in five statistical categories in 2018, including field-goal percentage, three-point field-goal percentage, and scoring. For his efforts, Guerin was voted the CUNYAC Coach of the Year.
 
BMCC was tested early in the season as they faced off against nationally ranked Passaic County. The duo of Smith and Dublin combined for 38 points, while guard Anthony McClean (Brooklyn, NY) added 14 points and a team-high 10 rebounds in a 98-87 upset. The Panthers went on to win 12 of their next 13 games.
 
On the eve of the CUNYAC Community College Men's Basketball Championship, CUNYAC announced its award winners and all-stars at its annual All-Star Basketball Luncheon. Dublin was unanimously voted as the league's Player of the Year, earning first-place votes from all four head coaches. He averaged a team-best 20.8 points per game on 58.8-percent shooting from the field. That included a 51.9-percent clip from beyond the arc, which ranked third-best amongst all NJCAA Division III players.
 
Backcourt teammate Smith, alongside forward Viktor Kovacevic (Belgrade, Serbia), were selected as CUNYAC All-Stars, while McClean was selected to the CUNYAC All-Sportsmanship Team.
 
In the semifinals against fourth-seed Queensborough Community College, Dublin exploded for a game-high 24 points, shooting 9-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Kovacevic posted a double-double scoring 10 and grabbing 14 boards, while also blocking six shots. McClean added 17 points and five rebounds in the 76-69 win.
 
In the finals against No. 3 seed Kingsborough Community College, the Panthers got off to a slow start, trailing 14-9 early in the half. After a timeout by Guerin, BMCC went on a 26-5 run to take a commanding 35-20 lead with a little over eight minutes left in the half.

The Wave put a rally together to cut the lead to just one point, 66-65, with seven minutes left in regulation. Despite its strong effort, Kingsborough could not retake the lead. The Panthers answered with a score on every possession following a Wave bucket. With a minute left, McClean hit a three to put the game away for good. Panthers 88, Wave 81.
 
Dublin led all scorers in the contest with 27 points while grabbing 12 rebounds for a double-double. He added five assists and five steals to close out the night, being voted the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
 
"It means a lot (to win this championship)," Dublin said. "I have been through a lot with high school and going away to college in Kansas. The coaching staff and my teammates have given me confidence. I put in extra work and extra hours for them and for moments like this. Practice makes perfect."
 
"They [Kingsborough] are champions. They are fighters. A lot of other teams would have rolled over when Kingsborough came back," Guerin said. "We knew they wouldn't go away. I was hoping they wouldn't make it that close, but we never gave up."

 

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 CUNYAC Throwback Series
 

2002 Medgar Evers Men's Soccer

2002 York Women's Cross Country

2007 Hostos Women's Volleyball

2006 Hunter Women's Tennis

2005 BMCC Men's Soccer

2012 CCNY Women's Soccer

2004 Kingsborough Women's Volleyball

2008 Brooklyn Cross Country

2011 Lehman Men's Soccer

2015 Baruch Women's Tennis

2007 Lehman Women's Basketball

2011 CCNY Men's Indoor Track and Field

2006 Bronx Men's Basketball

2013 Lehman Men's Swimming

2018 Hostos Women's Basketball

2018 CCNY Women's Indoor Track and Field

2006 York Men's Basketball

2018 Brooklyn Women's Basketball