ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College returned to the win column with tonight's 85-80 home win vs. SUNY Delhi as senior guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow) finished with a team-best 23 points. The victory puts RSC at 6-3, while SUNY-Delhi drops to 5-4.
The Gators jumped out to a 19-0 lead to open the game and led by as many as 26 points, twice during the first half (45-19, 3:26). RSC held a 47-33 lead at the break but found themselves in trouble as the Broncos had a strong second half pulling within two points in the final minute of the contest (82-80, 0:58). Delhi's rookie guard Emerson Therneus (Spring Valley, NY/Spring Valley) had a big second half and hat the key jumper to pull his squad to within striking distance before the Gators made the most on their bonus opportunity and went to the line 12 times in the final two minutes. The Gators converted seven of those shots to preserve the victory.
For the game, the Gators had five players net double-digit scoring, while senior forward Jason Geronimo (Orlando, FL/Colonial) tallied a double-double tying his career best on the boards with 15 caroms to go with his 10 points. Senior forward Tyler Mitchell (Bronx, NY/All Hallows) added 18 points with four assists, a block and two steals, while junior forward Charles Davis (Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hamer) added 13 points with eight boards, three blocks, two assists and two steals. Senior forward/center Fethener Aime (Palm Coast, FL/Flagler Palm Coast) also had a double-double with 10 points and a personal-best 13 boards.
Delhi's freshman guard Lester McCarthy (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Dobbs Ferry) led all players with his 27 points and was hot from three-point range as he made 7-of-9 from downtown. Therneus tallied 19 points and hit 9-11 from the floor, including a 6-7 effort in the second half.
Tonight concluded the 2021 and non-conference portions of this year's schedule. RSC opens Empire 8 Conference play on January 4, 2022 at Hartwick.
Notes: The Gators have 11 players back in the fold this year…Senior guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow), a two-time first-team All-Empire 8 Conference pick, headlines the group…He passed Kai Deans '15 for sixth on the program's career points on December 2 vs. SUNY Cobleskill…Next on the list for the senior guard, now with 853 points, is Jeff Stopera '14 at 860…Senior forward/center Stuart Phair (Canberra, Australia/Tyler Christian School), who ranks third in program annals with 73 career blocks, and senior forward Jason Geronimo (Orlando, FL/Colonial) are captains on the year's team… Geronimo currently ranks seventh in school records with 381 career rebounds…Head Coach Brian Barnes, now in his 13th season, added four players to the program.
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