CUNYAC Community College Women’s Basketball Presented by Army ROTC

Championship Info -  Championship Central

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Friday night’s matchup of the #1 LaGuardia Red Hawks and the #2 Bronx Broncos saw the Red Hawks take home the 2016 CUNYAC/Army ROTC Women’s Community College Basketball Championship. After winning last year’s tournament, the Broncos were able to make it back to the finals, however, they fell short to LaGuardia by the score of 65-54.

Coach Anthony Alfaro was very pleased with his team, “We looked at the beginning of the season and said it can be done with both hard work and something special, and we were right.”

In the early minutes of the game, both teams were going shot for shot. Until LaGuardia went on a 7-0 run to make their lead 16-5. Marika Gordon scored four of those points in the early part of the game. Lexis Valentin helped build momentum with her shooting ability. Valentin shot 2-3 from behind the arc in the first quarter. At the end of the first quarter, the Red Hawks were leading the Broncos 18-12.  

The start of the second quarter saw a 6-0 run in favor of the Red Hawks. Shafon Longshore capped off the run with a layup to make it a 24-14 game.  

Halfway through the quarter, the Broncos would answer back with a 5-0 run to cut their deficit to 24-19. Angel Mbamalu contributed 5 points and 3 rebounds going into the half.   

At the half, LaGuardia was leading 35-21. Marika Gordon and Lexis Valentin were leading in scoring for the Red Hawks with 8 points and Sarah Edwards already had 10 rebounds at the half.

Coming out of the half, both teams came out shooting. Lexis Valentin hit another three to give LaGuardia a 38-25 lead. That gave her 11 points halfway through the third quarter. By the end of the third, the Broncos cut the Red Hawk lead to 10 going into the fourth quarter.

However, LaGuardia opened up the 4th quarter with a 7-0 run and opened up their lead to 53-37. LaGuardia never looked back as they built up to a 19 point lead with 5:29 left to play in the fourth quarter.

LaGuardia would go on to win the CUNYAC/Army ROTC Championship by a final score of 65-54. The Red Hawks’ Kailyn Richburg was named the CUNYAC/Army ROTC Tournament MVP with 10 points and 5 steals in the championship game. This is only the third year that LaGuardia was able to put a team on the floor as they are still a newly minted program.

“We just wanted to work hard and make it here”, said Richburg. She continued to say, “I was really emotional because after this season I am graduating, I did not know whether to smile or cry.”

Despite the loss, Barbara Castro lead the Broncos with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Shakia Artist recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. This was the third year in a row that the Bronx Community College Broncos made it to the championship game.

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