(Oakdale, NY.) - Although George Holmes (Gordon Heights, N.Y./Suffolk C.C.) recorded a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, it was his final two points that were the most memorable as his bucket with less than a minute left in the game propelled the Knights to a 65-64 win over Dowling.  The Knights are now 2-2 in the East Coast Conference.

It was Dowling who got out of the gates quickly as the Golden Lions reached 10 points at 15:25 mark, and they had a 10-6 lead.  That advantage grew to six points, at 16-10, before the Knights used an 8-0 run to recapture the lead.  During the outburst, QC got baskets from Holmes, Kevin Nascimento (Harlem, N.Y./Genesee C.C.) and Patrick Modzelewski (Brooklyn, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy).  The rest of the half saw both sides battle back and forth as they shared the lead a total of eight times.  Dowling was ahead of Queens, 38-36, at the break.

The second half opened with a Nascimento jumper that evened the score for the ninth time in the game.  Eventually the two sides would be all square for the twelfth time, at 49-all with 11:58 left, when the Knights went on another key run.  This time, QC used an 8-1 slide to grab a six-point lead as Holmes an Nascimento accounted for all the points in the scoring spree.

Dowling answered once again and eventually erased the lead, evening the score for the thirteenth time in the game when Evan Maxwell hit the front end of a three-point-play with 1:35 remaining.  He then sank the free throw to put the Golden Lions ahead, 64-63.

From there, the Knights turned to Holmes for the deciding basket.  Following a Queens timeout, Holmes got open inside and put the ball off the glass for a layup that gave QC a 65-64 lead.  Dowling missed a shot with six seconds left and the Knights held on for the victory

Holmes (21 points) and Nascimento (14 points) were the only Knights in double-figures for scoring while Holmes grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and Nascimento shot 6-of-9 (.667) in the win.  Pat Piasecki (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) chipped in with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting.

The Knights return to action on Saturday, January 12, when they host the Molloy Lions in Fitzgerald Gym.  The game time is scheduled for 4:00 PM.