Men's Basketball Clinches Sweep of Rival Golden Eagles In Thriller

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Three Bears scored in double figures led by a double-double effort from sophomore Michael Megafu (Brooklyn, N.Y./Nazareth Regional) pacing the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's basketball team to an 80-77 victory over sibling campus St. Joseph's College (Long Island) on Saturday night at Brooklyn Technical High School in the annual East vs. West Tripleheader matchup.

The victory for the Bears (5-5) was the second straight over the Golden Eagles (2-7) in the series and clinched a sweep for Brooklyn for the first time in the six-year history of the rivalry.

Megafu shot 9-for-11 from the floor and a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc to post a team-high 27 points paired with 10 caroms for his team-leading fifth double-double of the season. Joining him in double figures was Matt O'Neill (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) with 15 points, four assists and four rebounds and David Louison (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) with 12 points and nine rebounds.

The Golden Eagles were paced by Darryl Charles who posted game highs of 30 points and 17 rebounds.

The packed crowd of Bears and Eagles fans at Brooklyn Tech were treated to an exciting game that went down to the wire and featured eight ties and four lead changes. After a pair of clutch free throws with 17 seconds left in regulation from Francisco Escobedo (El Paso, Texas/Santa Teresa) that put the Bears up 80-77, O'Neill made a key defensive play to knock the ball away, disrupting the Eagles final possession to equalize and a desperation shot from 30 feet out at the buzzer wouldn't find rim.

TURNING POINT

After a Cody Lohsen three-pointer with 3:09 to play put the Golden Eagles up 74-71, a layup from Louison and a corner trifecta from Megafu – his third of the game – put the Bears up 76-74. Long Island responded with a layup for the contest's eighth tie and Vernon Maddox (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) and Escobedo went a combined 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute while the Eagles went 1-for-2 at the stripe for the differential.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Other key contributors: Maddox (8 pts, 7 ast, 3 stl), Escobedo (6 pts, 4-4 FT, 3 reb)
• Plagued by foul trouble most of the game, Louison fell one rebound shy of a double-double in only 19 minutes of action. His absence also helped contribute to Patchogue holding a 48-33 rebounding edge for the contest.
• Both teams were unafraid to let it fly, a third of the combined attempt coming from behind the arc, with the Bears connecting on a 8-of-20 and 5-of-10 in the second half.
• Brooklyn made the most of 23 Golden Eagle miscues, holding a 28-5 edge in points off turnovers.
• The Bears dished out a season-high 18 assists on their 29 field goals.

THE BEAR FACTS

• Lady Bears swimming defeated the Golden Eagles for the first time in six meetings all-time, 52-43 to open the East vs. West Tripleheader and Lady Bears basketball took their first triumph in five meetings, cruising to a 54-50 win.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARS

The Bears clash with long-time Hudson Valley rivals Berkley College at the Barclays Center this Friday, December 27th at 3 p.m.