ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College withstood a late charge by visiting Castleton to secure a 72-68 victory tonight in the Kahl Gymnasium.
The Gators used a 21-10 second half run to open up a 13-point lead with 3:45 left, only to watch the visiting Spartans answer with an 11-0 spurt to make it a one possession game, 65-63, with 1:18 remaining. Senior guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow) helped seal the RSC triumph, netting five of his game-high 18 points in the final minute.
Senior guard Ryan Long (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) (above) came off the bench to add 12 points for Sage (3-1)
The Gators, which out-rebounded Castleton by a 58-40 margin, received contributions throughout the lineup, with five players scoring between six and nine points tonight.
Senior forward Jason Geronimo (Orlando, FL/Colonial) registered nine points and 12 rebounds, while junior forward Charles Davis (Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hamer) filled up the box score to the tune of seven blocks, 12 rebounds, five assists and six points. Senior forward/center Stuart Phair (Canberra, Australia/Tyler Christian School) recorded eight points, nine rebounds, and four blocks.
Castleton (3-3), which received a team-high 14 points from freshman guard Johnny Torrance, was within three on a trio of occasions down the stretch but unable to get past the final hurdle.
Looking ahead, Sage plays next on Saturday afternoon at SUNY Poly. Tip-off is slated for 2:00 pm.
Notes: The seven blocks by Davis was tied for second-most in a game by a Gator...Thiago Conceicao had eight at Farmingdale State on Feb. 25, 2017...11 players are back in the fold this year…Borders, a two-time first-team All-Empire 8 Conference headlines the group…He passed Ryan Sager '13 for seventh on the program's career points vs. Worcester State on November 12…Next on the list for Borders, now with 761 points, is Kai Deans '15 at 826.…Phair who ranks third in program annals with 73 career blocks, and Geronimo are captains on the year's team…Head Coach Brian Barnes, now in his 13th season, added four players to the program.
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