FLUSHING, N.Y. – Looking to conclude the regular season on a positive note, the Queens College men's basketball team welcomed the Dolphins of College of Staten Island to Flushing in East Coast Conference play Saturday afternoon inside Fitzgerald Gymnasium.
Four Knights recorded in double figures led by senior
Sunnie Diamond (Atlanta, GA) who notched a team-high 17 points, while senior
Malik Bentinck (Queens, N.Y.) recorded 15 points, and the junior pair of
Shamar Chester (Queens, N.Y.) and
Jayden Seraphin (Lakeview, N.Y.) combined for 25 points but the Dolphins would play Senior Day spoils as Queens fell to the final score of 81-72 to conclude regular season play.
Queens finished the regular season with an overall record of 12-14 and 6-9 in ECC play.
Despite the loss, the Knights have clinched an East Coast Conference tournament berth as the sixth seed. More details to follow soon.
Prior to tip-off head coach
Matt Collier and the men's basketball team honored their two graduating seniors in #3
Caudy Desmornes (Baldwin, N.Y.) and #5
Malik Bentinck (Queens, N.Y.) in the Knights annual Senior Day Ceremony.
GAME RECAP
It would be a slow start for the Knights out of the gate as the Dolphins led by as much as 12 points, 28-16 by the 10:46 mark.
But the Knights would start a comeback rally with an 8-2 run from the 10:24 mark to the 8:37 mark to get within six, 30-24.
With Staten Island leading by eight, 34-26 with 6:35 left until halftime, Queens would go on a 12-3 run from the 6:19 mark to the 3:08 mark as they took a one-point leaf 38-37.
Both sides would trade buckets for the final 2:38 of the first half but free throws from Chester and Diamond would help the Knights take a 44-42 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.
To open the second half the Dolphins wasted no time regaining the lead as they went on an 8-0 run to take a 50-44 lead by the 17:07 mark.
A layup from Bentinck at the 16:08 mark would open the scoring for Queens as the home side put together a 9-6 run to get within three, 56-53 by the 11:05 mark.
But it would be the closest Queens would get within of a comeback as the Dolphins went on to spoil Senior Day for the Knights.
By the Numbers
- Diamond recorded 17 points (6-of-16 FG, 5-of-8 FT) to go with nine rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal.
- Bentick notched 15 points (6-of-12 FG, 1-of-2 3PT, 2-of-4 FT) with six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals on the day.
- Seraphin tallied 14 points (6-of-12 FG, 1-of-1 3PT, 1-of-1 FT) with five rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
- Chester recorded 11 points (3-of-7 FG, 3-of-4 3PT, 2-of-2 FT) to go with three assists, two rebounds and two steals.
- As a team, the Knights were held to 37.5% going 24-of-64 from the field, while the Dolphins shot 50.0% on 30-of-60 shooting.
- Staten Island held a rebounding margin of 43-31, while Queens recorded an advantage on second-chance points to a 12-10 margin.
- The Knights tallied 13 points on 15 Dolphins'' turnovers.
Next Game
The Knights get set to make their second ECC postseason appearance in three years. More details to follow soon.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), Queens College MBB (@QCKnights_MBB) and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's basketball (qcmensbball).
