ITHACA, N.Y. – Brian Berrios and Givvion Jones led five Purchase College double figure scorers with 23 and 22 points, respectively, as the Panthers defeated Cortland, 94-85, during the opening day of the Cortaca Classic men's basketball tournament, co-hosted by Cortland and Ithaca.
Cortland (0-1) was led by
James Morales' (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) career-high 34 points. Morales hit 11-of-23 shots, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and was 9-of-9 from the foul line.
Justin Cooper (Pine Plains/Stissing Mountain) added 16 points (8-of-8 free throws), 11 rebounds and five assists, while
Carrel Joseph (Port-au-Prince, Haiti/Deer Park (NY)) finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Berrios went 8-of-16 from the field, 5-of-12 from 3-point range, for the Panthers (2-0). Jones hit on 8-of-13 shots and grabbed nine rebounds, and Deshawn Cann added 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Nikeem Deleon finished with 12 points, and Tarik Allicock totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Purchase shot 54 percent from the field, including 60 percent (18-of-30) in the second half. Cortland shot only 29 percent in the second half and 34 percent for the game.
Cortland led 39-32 with 2:04 left in the first half on a Cooper 3-pointer, but Purchase tied the game over the next 1:04 and only trailed by one at halftime, 43-42.
The Panthers held a small lead over the first six minutes of the second half. Morales tied the game at 58-58 on a jumper with 13:06 left, but Purchase went on a 13-4 run over the next six minutes and never trailed. Cortland was within four at 73-69 on a Morales trey with 5:40 left and down five after three Morales free throws at the 4:16 mark and again, at 79-74, on a Morales jumper with 3:53 left.
Purchase, however, put the game away with a 7-0 run that gave the Panthers an 86-74 lead with 1:37 on the clock. Cortland did get back to within six with 29 seconds left on Morales' final 3-pointer of the night but could get no closer.
Cortland will host Day 2 of the tournament Saturday. The Red Dragons meet St. Joseph's (Long Island) at 4 p.m., with Ithaca and Purchase playing the first game at 2 p.m.
