CORTLAND, N.Y. –
Justin Cooper (Pine Plains/Stissing Mountain) scored a career-high 30 points and recorded his second straight double-double by adding 11 rebounds as Cortland (1-1) defeated St. Joseph's College (Long Island), 93-84, during Day 2 of the Cortaca Classic at Corey Gymnasium.
An all-tournament team selection, Cooper made 8-of-13 shots from the floor with two 3-pointers, hit all 12 of his free throws, and dished out five assists. In Friday's tournament opener versus Purchase, Cooper totaled 16 points, 11 rebounds and five assists and made all eight of his free throws. Cooper's 11 rebounds and five assists each day were also career highs.
Michael Kelly (Monroe/Burke Catholic) scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists. He was 5-for-5 at the charity stripe.
Carrel Joseph (Port-au-Prince, Haiti/Deer Park (NY)) ended with 16 points and seven rebounds and
James Morales (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) finished with 14 points and a career-high seven assists.
Fernando Vazquez, an all-tournament team choice, led the Golden Eagles (0-3) with 35 points and four steals. He hit 13-of-23 field goals and 6-of-8 free throws and added five rebounds and four steals. Isaiah Moore and CJ Capilets each scored 15 points, with Moore also grabbing five boards. Capilet made 5-of-7 shots from the 3-point arc, including all five of his second-half attempts to help keep St. Joseph's within striking distance. He made four straight treys in a two-minute span to cut a 15-point deficit to seven at 71-64 with 10:19 left, but the guests got no closer the rest of the way.
Cortland shot 46 percent from the field and 40 percent (10-of-25) from the 3-point line, and the Red Dragons made 25-of-29 free throws (86 percent), 12-of-13 in the second half. St. Joseph's shot 52 percent overall from the field and 13-of-30 (43 percent) from the arc but only 9-of-15 from the foul line.
Ithaca finished 2-0 at the tournament, which started with action Friday at Ithaca before moving to Cortland Saturday. The Bombers defeated Purchase, 95-93, in Saturday's opener behind tournament MVP Marc Chasin's 39 points, including the winning layup with 2.3 seconds left. Ithaca's Peter Ezema and Purchase's Brian Berrios joined Cooper and Vazquez on the all-tournament team.
Cortland will travel to CCNY in Manhattan on Tuesday, November 22 for a 6 p.m. game.