Men’s Basketball Foursome with Double Figures Not Enough in OT Defeat to Cairn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. --- Led by Evan Sirakis' (Hollis Hills, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) 35-point outing,  the St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) men's basketball team pushed their non-conference contest against Cairn University into overtime. Despite the contributions of four Bears reaching double figures, their collective efforts fell short as the Highlanders secured a 113-108 victory on Monday night at The Hill Center.

Jonathan Reno (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) finished with 25 points of his own while SJBK newcomers Nazareth Warren (Brooklyn, N.Y./Spring Creek Campus) and Max Butler (Staten Island, N.Y./Port Richmond) rounded out the SJBK quartet in double figures, logging 19 and 12 points respectively.

How it Happened

Cairn established an 11-point cushion midway through the first half, 25-14. Shooting 8-of-14 from the field, Sirakis' 20 points in the period were paramount in reducing the Bears' deficit to one with 69 seconds remaining, 49-48. A three-pointer by the Highlanders within the final minute extended their lead to two possessions, 52-48.

Reno's three-pointer at 17:43 gave the Bears their first lead of the contest since the opening minute, 60-58. The visitors countered immediately to level the score at 60 in the first of 10 eventual ties in the period. The lead changed hands five times, predominantly in the closing moments of the half. Trailing 91-89, Butler banked the next two buckets, giving the Bears a 93-91 edge. The Highlanders erased the Bears' two-point advantage with 26 seconds in regulation, sending the contest to overtime.

In the extra period, Warren's layup at 2:48 propelled the navy and gray past the century mark, reaching 101-100. Despite the Bears' efforts, Jon Desir, Cairn's leading scorer, secured the Highlanders' lead with a three-pointer from the right wing, ultimately securing a five-point victory at 113-108.

For the Bears

• Sirakis' 35 points are a career-best. He added seven assists and five rebounds.

• Reno's 25 points marked his fourth game in double figures, doing so in all but one contest. He also had six assists and a pair of rebounds.

• Shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, Warren finished with 19 points and was a pair of rebounds shy from his first double-double.

• Butler also had eight boards to go with his 12 points and five assists.

• Adam Jasaraj (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan Wagner) pulled a squad-leading 11 rebounds.

Up Next

The Bears take on Western Connecticut State University in Danbury on Thursday, November 30 at 6 p.m.