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GCC Basketball: Cougar Holiday Classic Tournament

By Andrew Crofts

Saturday:

The Genesee Community College men's basketball team blew a 16-point second half lead, but came back to defeat visiting Community College of Rhode Island on Saturday night, 90-89 in overtime.

The Cougars held a 59-43 lead with fifteen minutes to play in the second half before CCRI went on a 32-15 run to take a 75-74 lead with three minutes left. Malik Brown then gave Genesee a 79-77 lead with a basket and a converted free-throw after a foul, but with 19 seconds left, Isaac Medeiros tied the game at 79 and sent it into an extra session.

In overtime, CCRI jumped out early but GCC reclaimed the lead on an EJ Blackwell three-pointer. Tied at 88 a piece with under a minute to go after a Donte Meredith three-pointer, the Knights grabbed a one-point advantage at the free-throw line, taking an 89-88 lead. The Cougars were able to tie the game at 89 on a Meredith free-throw, and with under one-second to play, Stanley Peacock gave Genesee a 90-89 lead after making one of two free-throws. A last second heave for CCRI went begging, and GCC escaped with the win.

(Stanley Peacock hits the game-winning free throw for GCC on Saturday night)

 

Blackwell finished the night with 20 points and nine assists, Meredith added 18 points, Vaughn Boler chipped in 15 points, Brown ended with 14 points and Terryl Coombs grabbed ten rebounds and added seven points.

The win improves Genesee to 6-4 on the season and the Cougars will take on ASA College tomorrow at 5pm in the final game of the Cougar Holiday Classic Tournament.

 

 

The Genesee Community College women's basketball team fell to ASA College on Saturday afternoon, in their first matchup of the Cougar Holiday Classic Tournament.

Dashawna Jenifer was the only Lady Cougar to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 11 points and adding six rebounds.

Genesee trailed by ten at the break, 35-25. ASA held GCC to just 14 second half points and cruised to an 81-39 victory.

Paige Hennings finished with seven points and seven rebounds, Nanase Akagami added six points and Dominique Davis chipped in five points.

The loss drops Genesee to 0-7 on the season and the Lady Cougars will take on the Community College of Rhode Island tomorrow at 11am in their final game of the Cougar Holiday Classic Tournament.

 

Sunday:

 

Coming off of an overtime win against the Community College of Rhode Island last night, the Genesee Community College men’s basketball team again went to the final possession against ASA College on Sunday in the Cougar Holiday Classic, but this time came out on the losing end.

Vaugn Boler scored 18 first half points but the Cougars trailed by ten, 46-36 at the break.

GCC trailed by as many as 13 in the second half, but the Cougars battled and Donte Meredith sparked an 8-3 run with a three-pointer to get Genesee to within five at 61-56 with about ten minutes remaining.

GCC hung around and got to within one at 68-67 after a layup and free throw from E.J. Blackwell with five minutes left. The Cougars then took their first lead since the early part of the first half after Boler converted two free throws to put Genesee on top 71-70. Blackwell extended the lead to three with a jumper seconds later, but ASA answered with a three pointer to tie the game at 73.

Genesee had a 77-75 lead after two Denzel Thomas free throws, but the Avengers went on a 7-2 run in the final minute and a half and held an 82-79 lead with under ten seconds left.

The Cougars had one last chance coming out of a timeout, but could not find a look and fell to the visiting Avengers, 82-79.

(#11 Vaughn Boler scores two of his game-high 37 points in Sunday's loss to ASA)

 

Boler finished with a game-high and career-high 37 points. He also grabbed ten rebounds. Meredith tallied 16 points and was three of five from three-point range and Blackwell added 13 points.

The loss drops Genesee to 6-5 on the year and the Cougars will close out the first part of their season next Saturday, December 15th at home against St. John Fisher JV at 1pm.

 

 

The Genesee Community College women's basketball team fell to 0-8 on the season after falling to the Community College of Rhode Island, 105-47 on Sunday.

The Lady Knights took an early lead and did not trail in the game.

Nanase Akagami led the way for Genesee with 15 points and went four-of-seven from three-point range. Becky James added 11 points and Paige Hennings chipped in six points and also grabbed ten rebounds.

Genesee will not return to action until after the winter break when they travel to Cayuga Community College on January 4th.

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