New York, New York – Thursday night's CUNYAC battle in the Bronx against 2022 Region 15 Championship Runner-Up Hostos Community College served as a measuring stick for a young and deeply talented BMCC men's basketball team sporting a three-game winning streak and undefeated league record. The Panthers passed this test with flying colors, using a 59-point second-half explosion to upend the Caimans for the first time since the 2019 CUNYAC CC Men's Basketball Championship, 100-91. The victory extends BMCC's winning streak to a season-high four games, with the win improving to 5-4 (4-0 CUNYAC), while the Hostos C.C. dropped to 7-5 (4-1 CUNYAC) with the loss.
"I am so proud of my guys," said BMCC men's basketball coach Tommy Keenan. "We need to build off this victory and continue improving," said Keenan. "We will enjoy it tonight, put our hard hat on tomorrow, and get back to work."
The Panthers have won four straight games for the first time since the 2018-19 season and hit the century mark for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign when they scored 102 points in a road loss to the Caimans on November 26, 2019. BMCC's win in the Bronx was the program's first since the 2017-18 season when they defeated the Caimans in the regular season by the score of 95-89. The Panthers also shot 50.7% from the field (38-75 FG), including a season-best 47.4% from three-point range (9-19 3PT), while getting it done defensively with a season-high tying 20 steals, which they have put up in back-to-back contests.
Three Panthers put up double-digit scoring efforts on the evening, with two of their five starters registering 20-point scoring efforts. Sophomore Jeremiah Cardi (New York, New York) dropped a team and season-high 29 points, 16 of them coming in the first half, and knocked down a career-high tying four three points and a season-high 10 fields made, and 16 field goals attempted. Freshman Daniel Laffitte (New York, New York) rang up 23 points on the night for his second straight double-figure scoring effort, with 18 of his new career-high coming in the second half while missing a second straight double-double by one rebound with nine. Underclassman Abdoul Toure (Brooklyn, New York) came off the bench and drained a career-high 18 points, all in the second half, while classmate Edgardo Sanchez (Brooklyn, New York) and Cardi both dished out a team-best three assists.
Freshman Jayden Jarrett (Bronx, New York) hauled down a career-high and game-best tied 11 rebounds in the contest, while classmates Sanchez and Cardi snagged a game-high four steals each. Freshman Leverson Tulien (Roslyn Heights, New York) turned away a game-high three shots while Jarrett swatted away two of his own.
The Panthers hit the century mark for the first time since the 2019-20 season when BMCC scored 102 in a road loss to the Caimans on November 26, 2019. The Panthers shot 50.7% from the field (38-75 FG), including 47.4% from three-point range (9-19 3PT), while getting it done defensively with a season-high tying 20 steals, which they have put up in back-to-back contests.
The Caimans came out firing in the first half, building their lead to 13, 37-24 at the 6:36 mark. The Panthers would mount a furious charge to close the half on a 17-7 run with a Laffitte three-pointer cutting the Hostos C.C. lead to one 42-41 with 2:08 remaining before the hosts tacked on two more points for a 44-41 halftime score.
The Panthers came out guns blazing in the second half scoring the first four points to lead 45-44 at the 19:04 mark on a Laffitte layup off a Cardi steal. The Caimans registered the following four points to go back in front 48-45, but it was the last lead they would see for the remainder of the game as BMCC constructed an 18-5 run with a Toure three-pointer stretching their lead to double digits for the first time 63-53 at the 13:00 mark. Toure's outstanding second half continued as a layup at 8:54 got the Panther advantage to 20 for the first time on the evening, 77-57, and another one built it to a game-high 24-point lead at 7:06 by the score of 83-59. BMCC cruised from there, never allowing the Caimans to get any closer en route to a 100-91 victory.
Hostos Community College had three players finish the contest in double figures, led by freshman Justice Carrington's team-high 16 points. Nyhem Garrett scored 14 points, and Tionne Palmer recorded a double-double hauling down a game-best tied 11 rebounds to go along with 11 points. Marquise Paulin dished out a game-high four assists, while Moussa Camara snagged a team-best three steals. Carrington and Palmer turned away a team-high two shots each.
The Panthers will look to extend their winning streak to five games for the first time since the 2018-19 season when they head to Suffolk County Community College on Tuesday December 13 at 8 p.m. For more information, visit the BMCC Men's Basketball Schedule Page.
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The athletic program at Borough of Manhattan Community College encompasses a total of eight varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For the latest news on the Panthers, please visit us at https://bmccathletics.com - The official site of BMCC Athletics. Follow the Panthers on Instagram (@bmcc_athletics) and Twitter (@BMCCAthletics), and Like Us on Facebook (BMCC Athletics).
