Hostos Takes Down BMCC to Win First CUNYAC Title Since 2007

CUNYAC Community College Women’s Basketball Presented by Army ROTC
Championship Info - Championship Central
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Hostos Caimans 66, BMCC Panthers 53

The top seeded Hostos Caimans knocked off the BMCC Panthers on their home floor by the score of 66-53 in the 2017 CUNYAC/Army ROTC Community College Women’s Basketball Championship on Friday night at Borough of Manhattan Community College. After a back and forth first quarter, star Hostos guard Cashmir Fulcher scored 8 of her 24 points in the second quarter to help the Caimans jump out to a 13 point halftime lead that they would never relinquish.

Hostos was led by Fulcher who scored a game high 24 points and fell just one rebound shy of a double-double on her way to being named CUNYAC/US Army ROTC MVP. The Caimans also received significant contributions from Pamela Suarez (10 points, 14 rebounds) and Destini Green (12 points, 7 rebounds) on their way to the team’s first CUNYAC title since 2007. Nikola Zilakova led BMCC with 15 points while Ashley Brooks and Jehosheba Foster pulled down a combined 22 rebounds to hold it down in the paint for the Panthers.

“It was great to see Cashmir get off the way that she did,” said Hostos Head Coach DeVernie Winston when asked about his star player. “She works so hard day in and day out, so we all expected the effort that she put forward today.”

Neither team had advanced this far in the tournament since the Panthers knocked off the Caimans to win the 2013 title. This time though, the Panthers would face the tall task of beating a Hostos team that had won its last 20 games if they wanted to return to championship glory.

Early foul trouble hurt the Panthers, who were forced to sit star player Natalija Dubrovina for most of the first half after she picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter. The Caimans were unable to take advantage of the shorthanded Panthers for much of the first half, but mid-way through the second quarter, the ladies of Hostos seemed to find their groove. Fulcher & Co. forced 14 first half turnovers and cashed in on the extra scoring opportunities on their way to a 35-22 halftime lead.

BMCC came out of the locker room fired up, going on a 16-5 run that ignited a raucous home crowd. Just like that, the Panthers had cut the Caimans’ lead down to just 2 with 2:35 left in the third quarter. With BMCC on the comeback trail, Hostos turned to the calming presence of Cashmir Fulcher to settle the team down. She was more than up to the task, creating her own offense and hitting a buzzer-beater three to end the third quarter that pushed the Hostos lead back up to 9. With 10 minutes to play, the Caimans had momentum and a 47-38 lead.

Hostos carried this momentum into the fourth quarter, beginning the final frame on a 9-3 run that extended their lead to 15. For the final 5 minutes of the game the long, athletic Caimans defense took over, creating turnovers (9 in the fourth quarter) and forcing difficult, contested shots from the Panthers’ shooters. Clicking on both sides of the ball at the perfect time, the Caimans would coast to a 66-53 win and the CUNYAC title.

The win was the 21st in a row for the Caimans who will advance to the Region XV Tournament, for which the seeding will be released next week. The Caimans were also honored with Desitni Green being named to the CUNYAC All-Tournament team along with Ashley Brooks (BMCC), Natalija Dubrovina (BMCC), Janae Gibson (LaGuardia), and Thalia Rodriguez (Bronx).

Most Valuable Player	Year	Position	School
Cashmir Fulcher	Fr.	G	Hostos
All-Tournament Team	Year	Position	School
Destini Green	So.	G	Hostos
Ashley Brooks	So.	C	BMCC
Natalija Dubrovina	Fr.	F	BMCC
Janae Gibson	So.	G	LGCC
Thalia Rodriguez	So.	F	Bronx