The Berkeley College men's basketball team stayed perfect in Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action, coming from behind to defeat the Panthers of Albany College of Pharmacy by a score of 92-82. The game was played at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. With the win, the Knights catapulted to a mark of 17-4 (5-0 HVIAC), winning their 10th consecutive game. Albany dipped to 9-12 (3-3 HVIAC).
Shamiek Sheppard led the way for the Knights, as he finished with a team-high 16 points while connecting on eight of his 12 attempts from the floor. He also contributed six rebounds, as well. Foday Saccoh had one of the finest games of his Berkeley career, netting 15 points (six-of-eight shooting) while snatching three rebounds, recording a pair of assists, and tallying two steals. Dequan Jones added 14 points and five rebounds, and big man Larence Horner hit on all four of his attempts from the field and both of his shots at the charity stripe to finalize his evening with 10.
Despite the loss for Albany College of Pharmacy, the Panthers were paced by the stellar effort of Naythan Beltran, as he drilled three shots from beyond-the-arc and all eight of his free throw attempts, eventually finishing with a game-high 27 points. He also contributed a game-high five steals while tallying three assists. Edward Ahanmisi also netted 19 points while recording four assists, four steals, and three rebounds.
The Knights had to battle to win this one, as Berkeley held just a brief 3-2 lead in the opening minute of the first half before Albany College of Pharmacy led for the remainder of the period. The Panthers were up by as many as eight points (41-33) before entering the locker room with a four-point edge at 41-37.
Berkeley used the opening 4:09 of the second stanza to take and build a lead. The Knights stretched their mini 4-0 run dating back to the first half to a 20-0 run, as Berkeley scored the first 16 points of the second half to grab a 53-41 edge. The Knights led by as many as 17 at one point (73-56), but the pesky Panthers continued to battle, pulling to within five at 87-82 with 28 seconds remaining. A pair of converted free throws by Ricardo Ayuso, and a successful three-point play by Foday Saccoh, iced the game for the Knights. Berkeley advanced for the 10-point win.
The game was very competitive despite the major difference in shooting percentages. Berkeley connected on 56.7 percent of its shots on the night (38-67) compared to just a 39.1 percent conversion rate for Albany College of Pharmacy (25-64). The Knights dominated the glass, snatching 40 rebounds compared to 26 for the opposition. Berkeley recorded 21 assists to the Panthers' 18, and both teams committed 19 miscues.
Berkeley will look to extend its winning streak to 11 games while also staying perfect in HVIAC play on Saturday, as the Knights will play host to SUNY-ESF. Start-time at the Borough of Manhattan Community College is scheduled for 5:30pm. Prior to the game, seniors Ricardo Ayuso, Darius Ward, Dequan Jones, Shamiek Sheppard, and Larence Horner will be honored in a special ceremony.