Castleton, VT – The SUNY Canton men's basketball team got a spectacular performance from Lateef Johnson Jr., who had 32 points, 17 rebounds, and three assists in his first official game this year, but a late surge from the VTSU Castleton Spartans pushed them past the Roos 96-91 Friday afternoon.  

THE BASICS

• Result: VTSU Castleton 96, SUNY Canton 91
• Location: Glenbrook Gym – Castleton, VT
• Records: SUNY Canton (1-7) | VTSU Castleton (5-7)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite two early buckets from Eugene Johnson Jr., the Roos fell behind 13-4 with 15:27 left to play in the first half.
• The game was 21-15 in favor of the Spartans nine minutes in when the Roos really got the party started. SUNY Canton cranked up the pressure and broke Castleton's press with extreme efficiency and went on a 15-0 run, taking a 30-21 lead with 8:22 remaining in the first half. Jahdeuir Reese scored seven points, Lateef Johnson Jr. and Kolton Castrello had four, and the Spartans could barely get a shot off, going 0-for-3 and turning it over four times in the stretch.
• Castleton scored some points here and there, but the rest of the half was utter domination for the road team. The Roos were drawing fouls, getting stops, and knocking down shots late in the half. SUNY Canton had a 18-point advantage at one point and went on to lead 55-39 at halftime. Lateef Johnson Jr. scored 15 points, brought down 11 rebounds, and dished out three assists at the half.
• At the beginning of the second half, the Roos struggled to take care of the basketball and nine turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the half led to the hosting Spartans getting back in the game as SUNY Canton was only ahead 67-62 with 11 minutes left.
• Lateef Johnson Jr. scored his 25^th point with 8:32 left and the Roos got out ahead 74-67. However, back-to-back threes by the Spartans made it a one point game.
• The two teams were neck-and-neck for a time, but a Spartans layup with 3:19 left to play tied it at 86, then a free throw with 2:24 left gave Castleton their first lead since the first half.
• For the first time in the game, scoring was challenging for the Roos down the stretch and Castleton ended the game on a 14-5 run to knock off SUNY Canton 96-91.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• In his first official game as a Kangaroo, Lateef Johnson Jr. notched 32 points on 11-for-16 shooting and 17 rebounds, making it the highest single game mark from a Roo in both points and rebounds this season.
• Jahdeuir Reese scored 17 points off the bench on 6-for-9 shooting. Bryon Streb brought down 11 rebounds and dished out three assists in the game.
• Castleton was led by Zach Thompson, who lit it up with 21 points in just 22 minutes off the bench. Ben Seiler reached 20 points as well for the Spartans.
• SUNY Canton shot significantly better than Castleton at 52 percent (32-62) to 43 percent (32-74). The Spartans made 13 threes but jacked up 41 of them for a modest 32 percent from beyond the arc. Turnovers proved to be fateful for the Roos as they committed 22 in the game and 15 in the second half, totaling 28 points for the home team.

WHAT'S NEXT?
SUNY Canton's weekend trip will continue tomorrow, January 3 as the Roos head over to New Hampshire to play the Colby Sawyer Chargers at 1 p.m.
   

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 23 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.