By Eldridg Chavez
It’s February 24, 2006. We’re at the College of Staten Island Sports and Recreational Center in Staten Island, New York. The third-seeded York Cardinals are about to tip-off against the top-seeded and favorite Baruch Bearcats for the CUNYAC Men’s Basketball Championship, a rematch of the 2000 finals. A final where the Bearcats squeezed out a victory, 52-50. Can the Cardinals right a wrong from six years ago or will the script remain unchanged? Before we find out if history repeats itself, let’s turn back the clock and find out how we got here first.
The Cardinals looked to bounce back after a disappointing 2003-04 season. York looked to returning players, junior
Kwesi Liverpool and senior
Michael Thompson, to help the Cardinals compete at the time in the difficult CUNYAC South Division. Newcomers
Ryan Bishop and
Ivan Lynch along with Kingsborough Community College transfer
Andre Vincent looked to spark some energy coming off the bench.
York swung a three-win improvement in 2004-2005 (11-5 [7-6]) and managed to clinch a tournament berth. The Cardinals lost in the opening round to CSI, 67-49, marking the second straight season Cardinals head coach Ron St. John’s failed to make the semifinals following 10 consecutive seasons in CUNYAC’s final four.
Heading in the right direction, the Cardinals looked to make a push and reestablish themselves as the team to beat in the 2005-06 campaign. York leaned on the tandem of junior forward
Shayne Smith and senior guard
Jefferey Boone (both former CUNYAC Community College Players of the Year) to set the tone for the Cardinals.
York fell percentage points behind CSI for the top spot in the division with a 15-14 overall record and a 9-4 mark in conference play.
As the No. 3 seed, York opened up the tournament against sixth-seeded City College. After a back and forth first half that saw five lead changes and five ties, York closed out the frame with a 15-4 run over the final 6:38 to take a 37-32 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Cardinals held the Beavers at bay, leading the rest of the way as York led by as much as 12 points, ending the game on a 13-6 run to advance, 69-60.
In the semifinals against seventh-seeded John Jay College, the Cardinals held the Bloodhounds to 19 second half points to advance to the championship game with a 65-50 win. Boone tallied 17 points, six, boards, and four steals in the win, guiding York to its first championship game appearance since 2000.
Here we are, two teams facing off again against each other six years apart. For the Cardinals, it was more than just winning the championship. It was about solidifying their place in the conference as an elite team after a couple of disappointing years.
York opened up the game with a three-pointer and never looked back in the first half, holding a 31-21 lead at intermission, largely behind 10 points from Smith. The forward later was selected a CUNYAC First-Team All-Star. Junior swingman
Teron Simpson was perfect off the bench, going 3-3 from the field and 2-2 from the line for eight points. First-Team All-Star guard
Louie Karis led the Bearcats at the break with six points.
In the second half, Baruch slowly climbed back in the game, tying the score at 48 for the first time since the opening minute.
Simpson continued his solid play with nine second half points, including a three-pointer in response to put York back up 51-48 at the 5:40 mark. Simpson ended the game with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six steals off the bench. He was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
A three-pointer from Baruch all-star forward
Cheick Fadika (15 points, 10 rebounds) cut the lead to five points with 42 seconds remaining but clutch free-throws from the Cardinals down the stretch sealed the game. The York Cardinals hoisted their second CUNYAC championship in program history with a 72-62 win.
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