New York, NY – John Jay men’s basketball’s newest edition Daniel Desir (Jamaica, NY/ Jamaica) is paying dividends already as the freshman forward had another big night with a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds, capped by a three-point play with 6.1 seconds remaining as John Jay rallied back from a double-digit second half deficit to defeat Brooklyn College 70-69 in a thriller at the Doghouse.

 

With the Bloodhounds trailing by two (69-67) on their final possession, Desir took a Vince Calderon (Woodside, NY/ Queens Vocational) pass in the paint scored on the bucket while being fouled by Brooklyn’s Reginald Posey (Bronx, NY/ Msgr. Scanlon). Desir went on to make the free-throw to give the Bloodhounds the lead.

 

In the final six seconds Brooklyn failed to get a shot off as John Jay wins by the narrowest of margins.

 

John Jay rallied back from a 12 point deficit in the second half to win the game. The Bloodhounds still trailed by double-figures (10 [57-47] with 8:02 to play), but John Jay rallied back. They went on a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to four (60-56) with 6:18 to play. They then went on a 7-2 run to take their first lead of the second half (63-62) on a tip-in by Desir with 3:22 to play (16-5 total run).

 

But Brooklyn would reclaim the lead and go back up by as much as three late in the contest. And with Brooklyn leading 68-65, Godfrey Mascall (Brooklyn, NY/ Paul Roberson) connected on a driving lay-up with 58 seconds left to cut the margin to one.

 

Brooklyn’s Thomas Guerin (Brooklyn, NY/ Brooklyn, NY/ St. Edmonds Prep) would connect one of two free throws with: 31 remaining to put the Bridges back up by a deuce, leading to Desir’s game winner in the final seconds.

 

Desir, who has recorded double-figures in rebounding each of his first three games, recorded 10 of his 15 rebounds on the offensive end. The Bloodhounds outrebounded Brooklyn 50-26 (including 27-12 on the offensive end) in the game.

 

Alex Valerio (Flushing, NY/ Francis Lewis) contributed with a team-high 18 points and 15 rebounds (10 on the offensive end as well). Vaughn Mason (Bronx, NY/ Alfred E Smith) added 14 to go along with eight rebounds and five steals. Mascall also notched double-figures in scoring with 10 points.

 

Miguel Lopez (New York, NY/ Environmental Studies) paced Brooklyn with a game-high 26 points, while Guerin landed one assist shy of a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.

 

John Jay will return to action on Fri. Jan. 12 at Medgar Evers College at 7:30 p.m.