STAC Holds Off NYIT, 62-58

The St. Thomas Aquinas men's basketball team defeated the Bears of NYIT 62-58 in Saturday afternoon's contest.  The Spartans were lead by senior Akeem Comas who scored seventeen points and finished with a game high four blocks.  Ahmed Allen scored fourteen points and pulled down seven rebounds while Jamie Balnchard  chipped in eleven points.  Blanchard and Allen hit key free throws in the final minutes of play to keep the Spartans ahead.

NYIT held an eight point advantage on three occassions in the first half but the Spartans would not go away.  A free throw by Jelani Winfield tied the game at 23 with 2:37 to go in the half.  Blanchard was 3-3 from the floor and 1-1 from the line as he lead STAC with seven points as the Spartans went into the locker room down four.

Bryant Lassiter hit a jumper at 18:27 giving NYIT it's largest lead, 36-27.  Lassiter finished with fifteen for the Bears while Carl Kindborg and Mickell Vickers finished with eleven and ten points respectively.  The Spartans went on a 13-4 run to tie the game at 40 behind five points from Comas and fellow senior Chris Williams.  Williams finished with a game high four steals.  Both teams exchanged baskets before Comas hit a layup giving STAC their first lead for the game, 45-43 with 10:58 remaining in the game.  STAC pushed ahead by five twice in the closing minutes of the game but both teams continued to chip and claw at one another. 

Kindborg's layup with 3:57 to play brought the Bears within one.  Neither team scored over the next two and a half minutes until Blanchard hit one of two free throws.  Ahmed Allen went 3-4 in the final thirty seconds to keep it a two possession game. 

STAC will be back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Molloy College for a 7:00 PM tip.