Upper Montclair, NJ

CUNYAC Women's Player of the Year Lauren Cargill (Valley Stream, NY) of City College, who scored 29 points, including six three-pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds was named the CUNYAC's Most Valuable Player for the game, while Kean University's Crystal Gadsden (Queens, NY) took home the same honor for the NJAC team following a 14-point, seven rebound performance. Shondelle Browne (Irvington, NJ) of New Jersey City University added eight points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the NJAC, which has won both contests against its cross-river rivals. Last year, the NJAC posted a 75-70 victory at The College of Staten Island.

The CUNYAC jumped out to a 22-11 lead after the first period, however, the host NJAC squad answered right back with a 12-0 run to start the second quarter while holding their opponents to just four points in the stanza. The NJAC led 36-26 at the half and built a 60-42 lead after three quarters, before the CUNYAC answered, outscoring the NJAC 27-18 in the final period. The NJAC outrebounded the CUNYAC, 63-25, including 22-10 on the offensive glass.

The only other players to score in double figures for the CUNYAC team were all-stars Keisha Cook (Staten Island, NY) of Staten Island had 16 points and Samantha Halpern (Shelton, CT) of CCNY added 11 and seven rebounds. Baruch guard Stephanie Trahan (Inwood, NY) chipped in with six points, while Lehman guard Diana Olaya led the CUNYAC team with four assists and four steals.

Edwin Caceres (Queens, NY) of City College was chosen as the MVP of the CUNYAC squad after finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds for the CUNYAC team, which squandered the lead with 7:42 to play in the game. Edgar Lugo (Bronx, NY) of Lehman College led all scorers with 25 points as the CUNYAC placed six players in double-figures. Richard Stockton guard Jorge Arroyo (Mystic Island, NJ/Pinelands) posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to grab the Most Valuable Player award for the NJAC Team. Teammate Reginald Wright (Trenton, NJ/McCorristin Catholic) of New Jersey City University added 15 points and eight rebounds. The NJAC, which won last year's game 115-113 at College of Staten Island, rallied from a nine-point deficit midway through the fourth period.

In the fourth quarter, CUNYAC took 103-94 lead as Lugo buried a three-pointer from the right side, however, the NJAC Team chipped away at the deficit. Kevin Stokes (Wyckoff, NJ) of Ramapo hit a free throw to cut the lead to five and a Stokes layup brought NJAC within 108-104 with 5:22 left. Medgar Evers Rhasheen Perry (Brooklyn, NY) hit a foul shot to restore the lead to five, but the NJAC scored the next 10 points to take the lead for good. Tennyson Whitted (Jersey City, NJ) of Ramapo hit two free throws to make the score 109-106 and The College of New Jersey's Gyl Vaught (Ewing, NJ) sank a three to tie the game. The NJAC then took the lead as Joseph Thomas (Linden, NJ/Linden) of NJAC champion Montclair State scored five straight points for a 114-109 lead with 3:30 to play.

CUNYAC would tie the game one last time at 117-117 with 58 seconds left as Caceres scored on a layup. But Thomas hit three foul shots to give the NJAC the lead for good and Arroyo made a fast-break layup for a 122-117 NJAC lead with 25 seconds to go. John Alesi (Staten Island, NY/Xaverian) of Baruch hit an off-balance three with 15 seconds left to make the score 122-120, but Whitted iced the game for the NJAC with two fouls shots with 10 seconds left. Caceres scored on a layup at the buzzer for the final margin.

Michael Patrick (Bronx, NY) of Lehman and Dana Warner of CCNY (New York, NY) each had 16 points for the CUNYAC, while Baruch's backcourt tandem of Daniel Guilford (Bronx, NY) and John Alesi (Staten Island, NY) scored 13 and 10 points, respectively. Warner also pulled down 11 rebounds and Lugo grabbed six steals on the evening.

The third annual game was played in a four quarter format. Next year, the game is expected to come back over the Hudson river at a CUNY site to be determined.

●Men's_BOX_SCORE   ●Women's_BOX_SCORE