Bears Come From Behind to Take Season Opener

LANGHORN, PA - The St. Joseph's College men's basketball team kicked off their season with an impressive come-from-behind victory on the road at Philadelphia Biblical University (0-1). The Bears trailed by ten with as little as 9:22 remaining in the game before outscoring the Crimson Eagles 25-11 to capture the 70-66 victory.

After closing the ten point gap, the game went back and forth with three more lead changes before the Bears were able to put Philadelphia Bible away. The four point margin of victory was the largest lead the Bears held all game. Senior forward Donald Coleman (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth) put the Bears up for good with a jumper at the 1:48 mark.  Coleman led the Bears with 18 points, while grabbing five rebounds and swiping a game-high four steals.

The Bears only connected on ten of 19 free throw attempts, but hit them when the game was on the line, sinking their final five, three by junior guard Antoine Forehand (New York, NY/Rice). Forehand finished with 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while playing a team-high 34 minutes.

St. Joseph's knew they were going to have to rely on their youth with a team consisting of six first-year players, and they played a significant role.  Making their collegiate debuts, Jan Rogowski (Woodside, NY/St. John's Prep) was the only other Bear in double-figures with 13 points and Johnny Mendez (Astoria, NY/St. John's Prep) chipped in nine points and four assists.

The only four-year starter on the roster, Jon Matzelle (Maspeth, NY/St. Francis Prep), kicked off his senior campaign with a nine point, eight rebound effort. Sophomore Ismael Dabo (Bloomfield, NJ/St. John's Prep) was a key contributor off the bench adding eight points and snagging four rebounds.

Jeff Bishop had a game high 26 points with eight rebounds and two blocked shots for the Crimson Eagles.

St. Joseph's heads up to Oneonta, NY to take part in the Hartwick College Tip-Off Tournament on November 19-20. The Bears take on host Hartwick in the opener on Friday and either SUNY Geneseo or Mount Saint Mary on Saturday.