City Tech Holds On For 62-50 Win Over John Jay
BRONX, NY – With only eight players on the roster, #7 John Jay College’s slowdown offense held the #2 seed New York City College of Technology on their heels, but by the second half, the wore down Bloodhounds could suffered a 62-50 loss in the quarterfinals of the 2005 CUNYAC / Con Edison Basketball Championships at Lehman College.
Over the first 13 minutes of the game, John Jay (7-19) held a 19-7 advantage, as the high-powered City Tech (19-5) offense, which averages 80.6 points a game, was struggling with the Bloodhounds’ tough zone defense. But the Yellow Jackets scored 18 of the next 22 points, including six by sophomore center Terrin Johnson (Curtis / Brooklyn, NY) and six by junior guard Clyde Forteau (St. Raymond’s / Bronx, NY) to go into the half up 27-23. Forteau, an all-tournament performer last season as City Tech marched to the championship game, finished with 13 points and five steals.
After opening up a nine point lead in the second half, City Tech, held off a sustained charge by the Bloodhounds that culminated with a one point deficit (41-40) at the 11:27 mark on a jumper by junior guard Aramis Ramos (Washingtonville / Orange, NY). Ramos had a game-high 26 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
But CUNYAC’s South Division champions responded with a 12-2 run over the next eight minutes, on ten points by sophomore forward Otis Saylee (Seward Park / New York, NY). Saylee had 17 points to lead the Yellow Jackets to go along with six rebounds and five steals.
“We played combinations of players we’re not used to tonight,” said City Tech head coach Ray Amalbert. “But John Jay prepared well for us and I knew it would be this type of game.”
City Tech will play in the second semifinal on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm versus CCNY (8-18) at Lehman College’s Apex Arena.