ORANGEBURG, N.Y. – Graduate forward
Harrison Warnock manufactured his second double-double of the season, scoring 10 points while picking up 12 rebounds, but four Dominican (N.Y.) players would finish in double figures in the conference opener for Post University Men's Basketball as the Eagles fell on the road to the Chargers, 72-61, extending their losing streak to two straight games.
THE BASICS
Post University 61, Dominican (N.Y.) 72
Post University (5-4, 0-1 CACC)
Dominican (N.Y.) (4-3, 1-0 CACC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Heading into the half with the lead would be Dominican (N.Y.) despite an evenly matched first half from both sides in terms of shooting. The Eagles and Chargers would both make 12 shots from the field with Post taking just two more shots, but the difference would come in the three-point shooting and at the free throw line to give Dominican (N.Y.) a four-point lead, 35-31. For the Chargers, they would convert on 4-of-10 shots beyond the arc while making 7-of-13 free throws compared to a 2-for-11 performance from three for the Eagles with 5-of-6 free throws made.
After his monster 32-point game over the weekend, senior forward
Deng Deang continued to dominate offensively with a team-leading 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting while junior guard
Tre Duncan went for seven points with perfect shooting from the field and free throw line. Graduate guard Jaden Honis and junior forward Koi Kirk Jr. paced Dominican (N.Y.) with 10 points each while combining to shoot 7-for-16 from the field with four shots from long range.
The largest lead through 20 minutes would be a five-point advantage for the Eagles as part of an 8-0 run by Deang himself to give Post an 11-6 edge with 14:42 left. A responding 5-0 run by the Chargers, which included a three from Honis, quickly tied the game back up, and following a pair of free throws from senior forward Emmanuel Smith with 10:04 remaining, Dominican (N.Y.) took their largest lead of the half at four points, 19-15, the same lead they would have at the break after a three from Kirk Jr. and a layup from Honis around a Duncan jumper to end the half.
Opening up the second half, the Chargers went on a 9-0 run following a Warnock layup which cut their lead to two points, 35-33, as junior guard Isaiah Honis picked up seven of his 13 points on the evening during that stretch which saw Dominican (N.Y.) take an 11-point lead, 44-33, their first of six 11-point leads over the final 20 minutes of the game. After trailing by only two at the start of the half, the lowest the deficit would get down to was four points, 57-43, with 8:24 remaining in regulation after a jumper from sophomore guard
Ta'Quan Williams.
From there, a 6-0 run helped the Chargers regain their double-digit lead and be met with another brief run by graduate guard
Tyler Small to the tune of back-to-back threes to make it a five-point game, 66-61, with 3:54 left before the Eagles went cold to end the game. Isaiah Honis scored the next four points for Dominican (N.Y.) and Kirk Jr. added a pair from the free throw line as the game-ending 6-0 run helped the Chargers stave off the Post comeback attempt and take the game by 11 points, 72-61, at home.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Harrison Warnock grabbed his second double-double of the season after scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds
- Four players for Dominican (N.Y.) finished in double figures with Jaden Honis leading the way with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the win for the Chargers
- Post University remains 4-0 when leading at halftime this season while moving to 1-4 when trailing at halftime this season
- This is the first time this season in which Post University has lost on the road -- The Eagles entered the game with a 4-0 record in road/neutral site games while being 1-3 at home
WHO'S NEXT
Post University plays its first of two home games on Saturday afternoon against the University of Bridgeport at 3:00 PM to open up conference play. The Eagles have won their last three matchups with the Purple Knights, sweeping them last season with wins on the road, 61-58, and at home, 86-81.
