SELDON, N.Y. – The Monroe College – Bronx men's basketball team rallied from an 18-point deficit in the second half to tie the game with 16 ticks left in regulation but could not get the victory as Suffolk County Community College scored the game-winning bucket in the closing seconds to hand the Express a heart-breaking Region 15 loss on Tuesday, November 28. The final score at Brookhaven Gymnasium was 56-54.
 
Sophomore guard Jovan Young hit the game-tying free throw for the Express (4-4, 1-3 Region 15) with 16 seconds left on the clock, making the score 54-54. However, on the next possession for Suffolk County, freshman forward Joshua Rodriguez was deep inside the paint and converted a layup, while being fouled, to give the Sharks (3-4, 3-2 Region 15) the lead at 56-54 with four seconds left. Although he missed the free throw, his bucket ended up being the official game-winner as Monroe could not convert the contest-winning 3-point shot attempt.
 
Young led the way for Monroe – Bronx during the evening by netting a team-high 17 points, on 7-for-13 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds. Sophomore forward Abubakar Kromah produced eight points, snatched 11 boards, and delivered four assists. Making his return to the lineup, second-year guard Vashaun Wallace also had 11 rebounds and four helpers. Sophomore guard Jaream Eason tallied 13 points and eight caroms, while rookie forward Rene Williams gathered five boards of his own.
 
After Monroe scored the game-opening bucket, the Sharks blitzed them with 10 unanswered points to take a commanding hold. The Blue and Gold had to play catchup for the remainder of the half. Suffolk County took a 36-27 benefit into the intermission.
 
The Sharks dominated the early stages of the second half by building their vantage. A jump shot by rookie guard Samir Bell equaled the home team's biggest lead of the evening, at 47-29, with 15:54 remaining in regulation time. 
 
The Express would not go down without a fight as they went on a 12-0 run, in a span of 5:14, to shrink the opposition's advantage to 47-41 with 10:25 left to play in regulation time. The highlight of that run was a successful traditional three-point play courtesy of Young and a layup by Kromah that pulled the Express to within six.
 
Monroe inched even closer later in the final regulation half as Wallace capitalized on a jump shot to pull the Express to withing a single possession at 50-47 with 7:38 to go. Less than a minute later, freshman forward Shain Frazier buried a free throw to pull the Blue and Gold to within two. 
 
The Sharks responded by scoring the next four points to pad their lead to six. However, Frazier and Young got the Express going again with back-to-back buckets to pull to within two once again with 4:23 remaining.
 
After Monroe produced a few stops on defense, Eason buried a free throw to propel his team to within one, at 54-53, with 2:31 to go. Each team had a few possessions to score but could not capitalize. That is, until Young drew a foul for Monroe with 16 seconds to go. He made the first free throw to tie it, but the second attempt rimmed off and Suffolk County ended up with the ball. After the Sharks called timeout, they dribbled the ball down the court and then Rodriguez navigated through a scramble in the paint and connected on a layup, while being hacked, to give his team the lead at 56-54 with four seconds remaining. He did not connect on the free throw and Kromah came down with the ball for Monroe.
 
The Express had one last chance but the potential game-winning shot from near half court sailed over the rim as the buzzer sounded, resulting in a hard-fought loss for the Express.
 
Bell scored 18 points, brought down six rebounds, and forced a pair of steals for Suffolk County. Freshman guard Kevin Blanchet had 12 points, four steals, and three assists.
 
Monroe – Bronx will return to the friendly confines of Monsignor Scanlan Gymnasium on Thursday, November 30, for a Region 15 matchup against Nassau Community College. The contest is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven 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/X (@MonroeExpress), Instagram (@MonroeExpress), and Threads (@MonroeExpress).