Albany, NY — Russell Sage College's men's basketball team opened the 2021-2022 season on Tuesday evening. The Gators hosted Elms College in a non-conference contest in Kahl Gym. RSC collected a 94-56 victory on opening night to improve to 1-0, while the setback puts Elms at 0-1.
After the two teams exchanged baskets and runs for the first 12 plus minutes of the first half, the Gators went on a 24-4 run over the next 7:53 of the game to hold a 46-26 lead at the half. RSC held the Blazers scoreless until 0:54 mark of the half.
Senior Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow) led the Gators with 10 points in the first half, while sophomore Will Ruiz (Bronx, NY/Wings Academy) added a career best 10 points as well in the first half alone with a career best seven rebounds as well. Both junior forward Charles Davis (Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hamer) and senior Amani Cummings (Brooklyn, NY/Transit Tech) added eight points as well.
Elms senior guard Justin Feliciano (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) led the Blazers with eight first half points and five rebounds as they shot 24.2% from the floor (8-33).
By game's end, RSC's graduate player Josh Gonzalez (Albany, NY/Canojoharie) and senior Fethener Aime (Palm Coast, FL/Flagler Palm Coast) hauled in 10 and nine rebounds, respectively. Aime added 12 points with two blocks, while Gonzalez finished with seven points. Ruiz finished with 14 points after making 5-of-8 shots from the floor and hauled in 8 boards.
For the game, Borders picked up right where he left off last season as the team's high scorer with 16 points elevating his career resume to include 710 points which ranks eighth best. Cummings tallied 14 points with eight boards including 6 defensive caroms. All told, RSC held a 65-43 edge on the boards and finished the night holding Elms to a 27.3% shooting effort from the floor (18-66).
The Gators got 46 points off the bench and had 40 second chance points in the game finished the night having held the lead in 34:00 minutes.
Feliciano finished with 13 points while senior Tahquell Cadle (Bridgeport, CT/Platt Tech) and Klaytin Silva (Worcester, MA) finished with 11 and 10 points respectively in the game.
RSC is back in action on November 12-13 at the Oneonta State Tip-Off Tournament as they will open play on Friday night facing Worcester State at 5:30 p.m.