NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., February 23, 2019 – Gian Batista scored his 1,000th career point as the Monroe Express men's basketball team came back from an early deficit to defeat the Kingsborough Community College Wave, 78-68 on Saturday in their regular season finale at the Monroe Athletic Complex.
 
With the Express opening the game ice cold from the floor, Kingsborough took advantage and took an early 14-0 lead, holding Monroe scoreless until Taffari Jarvis' three-pointer broke the scoring drought with 13:28 to play in the first half.
 
The Express climbed back into the game with a 13-4 run, cutting the Wave's lead to just five with 9:06 left in the first half.
 
Six Kingsborough free throws brought the lead back out to double-digits, but Monroe closed the half on an 18-6 run to take a 33-31 lead into the break.
 
After the Wave tied things up at 33 just over a minute into the second half, the Express pulled ahead with a 15-1 run, taking their first double-digit lead of the game, 48-34 with 15:11 to go.
 
Kingsborough kept itself within striking distance, as the Express never led by more than 16 points, before the Wave cut Monroe's lead to just eight with two quick threes in the final minute.
 
However, Jarvis knocked down to clutch free throws, and the Express pulled out the 78-68 victory.
 
After being outscored 14-0 over the first seven minutes of play, the Express outscored the Wave, 78-54 over the final 33 minutes.
 
With the win, the Express finish the regular season 15-13 (7-9 Region XV), while the Wave fall to 2-20 (2-14 Region XV).
 
Batista led the Express with 32 points and 11 rebounds, his fifth double-double of the year. Batista became the first player in program history to score 1,000 career points when he knocked down a layup with 2:23 to play in the first half.
 
Loquan Deloatch also recorded a double-double, his second of the season, tallying 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Taffari Jarvis and Ghetty Dimitri Allui also scored in double-figures with 16 and 12 points, respectively.  
 
The Express open postseason play on Tuesday, Feb. 26 when they take the short trip down to Hostos Community College to take on the No. 3-seeded Caimans in the Region XV Quarterfinals at 7:00 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 29 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has nine varsity and junior varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress) and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).