Rochester will play St. John Fisher College for both the men’s and women’s titles. The men’s final starts at 8 pm. The women’s title game is set for 5:30 pm. This is the first time in Chase tournament history that the same two schools will face off for the team championships.
The Yellowjackets (10-3) advanced with sound ball-handling and steady shooting. Rochester shot a collective 61% from the floor (33 of 54) and 50% outside the arc (8 of 16). Uche Ndubizu led three men in double figures. He hit five of seven from the floor and added five assists. Joe Canty had 10 points, two assists and a blocked shot. Tim Brackney supplied 11 points in 13 minutes off the bench. He sank three three-point goals.
Alfonso Evans led Roberts Wesleyan with 18 points, including 7 of 8 from the line. Mark Kish had 12 points but was limited to 28 minutes due to foul trouble. The Raiders hit 21 of 24 from the stripe, but 32 percent from the floor (19 of 59) and made just two of 19 three-point attempts.
Canty hit a jumper to ignite a 14-0 burst over 4:20 that pushed Rochester ahead, 17-4. Ndubizu and Jon Onyiriuka had four points apiece in the run where all five Yellowjacket starters scored.
The lead eventually grew to 16, 26-10, after a perimeter jumper by Tim Brackney. It was 36-22 at the half.
Roberts made a charge early in the second half. Evans sank a pair of free throws, then Joseph Jones followed with a jumper. Evans finished the burst with a layup to get the Raiders (10-8) within 10 at 42-32 with 16:51 remaining.
Mike Chmielowiec sank a three from the right wing, then fed Dan Milbrand for a jumper in the paint. That kick-started a 12-0 run over 3:42 that put Rochester ahead, 54-32, with less than 13 minutes to play. Goia finished the burst with back to back layups.
Thirteen of Rochester’s 14 players scored. Max Kaplan was the only one without a point, but he had two defensive boards and handed out four assists in 15 minutes.
Rochester faces a Fisher squad that ran past SUNY Brockport, 94-78, in the first semifinal of the evening. The Cardinals improved to 10-2.