CCNY Completes Improbable Run With The Championship

The eighth-seeded CCNY Beavers wrapped up a week of improbable upsets, finishing off one of the most shocking runs in CUNYAC/Con Edison Tournament history by capturing the conference championship and earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a 77-69 win over second-seeded Staten Island. The victory for CCNY (14-14 overall) marked their 10th title in CUNY Tournament history, but the Beavers' first since 1980.

"This is an unbelievable accomplishment in an unbelievable season," said first-year CCNY head coach Andy Stampfel. "To think we started our practice season outside in November (When Nat Holman Gymnasium was being refurbished) to seeing our fans storm the court after the final horn tonight, it's been a long, strange trip. I'm certainly proud of my guys for never giving up and playing the game they way we like to play it."

Staten Island controlled the tempo early and was ahead for most of the first half, but the Beavers took their first lead of the game at 27-25 with 2:22 remaining in the first stanza on an Aki Trent (Mt. Vernon, NY) jumper. CCNY would take a 29-28 lead into the break after a statistically even first half.

CCNY took control early in the second half, opening up and eight point lead at 55-47 on a Vernon Dantzler (Queens, NY) runner with 8:06 remaining. The Beavers would then reach their biggest lead of the game at 69-56 with 3:50 remaining following a Trent three-pointer. CSI would get to within three at 70-67 with just 0:47 remaining, but the Beavers iced the game by going six-of-seven from the free throw line in the final 44 seconds to secure the victory.

CCNY freshman forward Obinna Efobi (New York, NY), an All-Tournament selection, led the Beavers with a game-high 19 points and three blocks. Senior guard Ralph Perez (Brooklyn, NY) was named Tournament MVP after posting 15 points and a game-best 8 rebounds. Trent contributed 14 points, earning All-Tournament honors in the process.

Staten Island was led by the 17-point effort of junior forward Kasim Nesbitt (Brooklyn, NY). Junior guard Champ Albano (Staten Island, NY) added 16 points while CUNY regular season MVP David Paul (Brooklyn, NY) tossed in 13 points and a team-high six rebounds.

"Throughout the year, we lost games by close margins but did not feel our opponents were really beating us," said Trent. "We knew that if we came together as one unit and executed the plays like Coach Stampfel drew them up, then we could compete and win no matter what the seeding were."

CCNY had to play their way into the tournament with an out bracket victory over Brooklyn. The Beavers then posted a stunning upset over number-one seed and defending CUNY champion Baruch in the quarterfinals. Their Cinderella run continued in the semifinals with a victory over fourth-seeded York.

"You have to give them credit, and their victory tonight was certainly not a fluke, "said CSI head coach Tony Petosa. "They have very talented players who made shots and got defensive stops when they had to. That's what wins basketball game."

By TERRY SMALL