ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College hosted Elmira College on Saturday afternoon in Empire 8 play. The Soaring Eagles posted a 60-46 victory over the Gators to improve to 3-11 overall with a 1-4 Empire 8 record. The loss puts RSC at 9-7 overall and 3-4 in the conference.
Elmira College held a 31-14 lead at the half and the Gators were able to pull within 13 points in the second stanza, but could not come back for the win.
Senior guard Amani Cummings (Brooklyn, NY/Transit Tech) finished with 14 points with four three-pointers, while senior forward/center Stuart Phair (Canberra, Australia/Tyler Christian School), who was named the E8 Player of the Week last Monday, added a team-best 12 rebounds with go with his nine points, two steals and two blocked shots.
Senior guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow) had 10 rebounds with six assists, a steal and five points in the action. Rookie Todd Williamson (Schenectady, NY/Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons) added seven points for the contest.
Phair is now ninth in career rebounding with 352, while Borders is 10th with 326 boards. Borders is also sixth on the Gator career list having started 62 games as a Gator.
Elmira's rookie guard Bryan Adams (Bronx, NY/Gunnery School) led all players with 20 points, including 11 in the first half of the game. Senior forward Quintel Clements (Ithaca, NY/Newfield) had a double-double after scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds with two steals and four assists. Senior Rashaad Nurse (Queens, NY/Fallsburg) also tallied a double-double having hauled in 15 rebound to go with his 11 points and game-best four blocked shots.
Looking ahead, RSC travels to Hartwick College on January 25 for a 7:30 p.m. Empire 8 road contest.
#SageNation
Notes: Senior forward/center Stuart Phair (Canberra, Australia/Tyler Christian School), who currently ranks second in program records for career blocks with 86, was named the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Week last Monday...He averaged 12.5 points on 60.0% shooting and 8.0 rebounds in the 2-0 week...The Gators have 10 players back in the fold this year…Senior guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow), a two-time first-team All-Conference pick, headlines the group…He stands fifth in career scoring with 956 points with Saturday's effort….Next on the list for the senior guard is Melvin Ford '16 with 973, who ranks fourth all-time.…Phair 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.