Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Dec. 28, 2009) – The C.W. Post men's basketball team fought off a tough non-league opponent in The College of Saint Rose on Monday evening, on the strength of a game-high 19 points from senior forward Nemanja Jokic (Sombra, Serbia), as the Pioneers won a 75-69 contest in the opening game of the C.W. Post Holiday Tournament.

The Pioneers trailed early as Saint Rose ran off seven straight to open the game, but pushed back with seven points of their own on a lay-up byfreshman Jonathan Kohler (Bordentown, N.J.), a trey by Aaron Hall (Syracuse, N.Y.), and a jumper by Stephen Mears (Middle Island, N.Y.). The visitors pushed ahead again, leading 14-8 at the 7:52 mark, but C.W. Post tied the game at 16 apiece on the second of two free throws from Jokic at 6:34.

The Pioneers finally grabbed their first lead of the game when Hall's lay-up at 4:53 put C.W. Post on top, 21-20. The hosts traded baskets with St. Rose, but went on a 9-0 run to close out the half and push out to an eight-point lead, 32-24. 

After the Pioneers pushed their lead to double digits, taking a 10, then 11-point lead on Kohler's free throws, Saint Rose mounted a comeback, going on a 14-4 run to cut the Pioneer lead to one point, with 11:59 remaining in the game. Saint Rose was able to tie the score at 45-45 at 10:30 on a three-pointer by Andre Pope, but a Brandin Butler (Elmont, N.Y.) trey pushed the lead back to three for C.W. Post, and the Pioneers went on a 11-5 spurt that saw them push out to a nine-point lead with 6:35 to play in the half. C.W. Post led by six points or more for the remainder of the game as they earned the gritty non-league victory.

Both teams scored an even 26 points in the paint for the contest, while Saint Rose scored 22 points off turnovers to the Pioneers' 19. The Pioneer bench was a big factor as they outscored Saint Rose 28-12.

A main player in that bench effort was Kohler, who matched Hall as the second-highest scorer on the night with 14 points apiece. Junior guard Gil Montalvo (Astoria, N.Y.) added 11 points and five assists, and Billy Butler (Elmont, N.Y.) chipped in with a game-high nine assists. Jokic, in addition to his 19 points, added nine boards, narrowly missing a double-double.

C.W. Post shot 43% from the floor and 84% from the free-throw line, and made 9-of-27 shots from beyond the arc. Saint Rose finished 24-50 from the floor (48%) and 13-19 from the charity stripe.

Shea Bromirski's 17 points led Saint Rose, joined by Pope with 16, Brian Hanuschak with 13, and Jermaine Clark with 11. 

The Pioneers return to the court on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 5 p.m. against Daemen College.