Purchase, NY (Jan. 31, 2017) – Jamail Stanley, five-time Skyline Conference Player of the Week, and reigning champion Old Westbury edged Purchase, 78-75, Tuesday night, despite a near, game-tying 3 by the hosts at the buzzer.

Stanley, who has been named league player of the week for three straight weeks, and is the reigning conference tournament Most Outstanding Player, finished with a game-high 25 points. He added nine rebounds, three assists, seven steals and one block on an evening when the game fluctuated from start to finish.   

Purchase jumped out of the gate in the second half, outscoring the visitors 12-9 over the first five minutes of action (50-49) after trailing by two at the break.

Westbury answered back with consecutive hoops to recapture the lead (53-50) just under 14 minutes.

But an ultra deep, NBA-range 3-pointer by Michael Soffer (SO/Agoura, CA) from the wing tied the score at 53-all at 13:26. Brian Berrios (JR/New York, NY) followed right after, and extended the lead for Purchase on his 3. 

OW reserve Stanley Baker countered with a hoop. Nikeem Deleon (JR/Bronx, NY) scored for Purchase down the same stretch, as the back-and-forth resulted in a 59-59 score with 10 minutes to go.   

Over the next three minutes, the two heavyweights traded dunks – PC's Kayvon Reid (SR/Tuckahoe, NY) and OW's Stanley – and the lead yet again.

It was 65-64 OW with 6:25 remaining in the contest. It remained that way until the 5:20 marker, when Berrios hit a 3 for a 67-65 advantage.

On the ensuing possession, Baker answered right back with a basket to tie the score (67-67).

Stanley free throws made it 69-67, but a finger roll by Givvion Jones (JR/Mount Vernon, NY) tied the game. Stephon Odle continued the trend by scoring immediately for OW to make it 71-69 with under four minutes. 

The visitors would outscore Purchase 4-1 over the next minute and a half before Berrios free throws pulled the Panthers within three (75-72) at 1:46, where a foul sent Stanley to the line. He connected on both free throws to increase the lead to five (77-72).

Purchase refused to go away quietly. Soffer hit another dagger 3, this time with 56 seconds remaining to keep the hosts in the contest.

Westbury failed to convert and Purchase got the ball back with 20-plus seconds remaining, advancing the ball into the front court. The Panthers called a timeout to draw up a play. With 20.2 seconds left, OW then called a full timeout.

Afterward, Jones drove the lane for the game-tying dunk, but the ball rolled off the rim for a Westbury rebound. 

OW's Lylle Ryals was fouled and made one of two for a 78-75 lead.

With five seconds to go, the Panthers got one final shot attempt off – a Kewan Beebe (JR/Glen Cove, NY) 3-pointer that rimmed out at the buzzer.

Westbury improves to 12-7, including 8-2 in the conference victory. The loss drops Purchase to 12-7 and 6-5. 

In addition to Stanley, Ryals and Odle chipped in 15 and 12 points, respectively. Purchase was paced by Soffer and his team-high 21. Berrios added 16 and a game-high eight assists. Jones totaled 17 points and seven boards.   

OW led 40-38 at halftime.

The first half saw the score tied eight times and the lead change hands 11 times in a consistent, back-and-forth affair amongst two of the top teams in the league.

Purchase opened up 3-0, but the visiting Panthers quickly tied it on a countering 3. OW seized an 8-6 advantage early, but moments later, Purchase responded with a Soffer 3 that made it 12-10 at 14:22.

The see-saw contest continued. Berrios tied the score at 18-all on a 3-pointer at 12:24 after Stanley dunked to give his Panthers a three-point advantage.

Purchase reserve Beebe had a steal and a layup at 9:56 for a 23-20 lead. His 3-pointer shortly after made it 27-22.

But OW showed its resilience, reeling off five straight. The spurt culminated with a 3 from Ryals at 8:16.

From there, OW captured a seven-point margin behind Ryals and reserve Terrin Roland.

But the host Panthers climbed back behind Jones, who put on a display in the paint and on the boards. His jam at 4:23 brought the Panthers back with five (31-36). He followed that score with a tip-in to close the gap to three. Teammate Kalyn Credle (SR/Queens, NY) tied the score once more on a 3-pointer at 3:15. The score was tied again just under one minute before OW closed the half leading by two.

The Panthers were sparked by 16 first-half bench points – seven of which came from Beebe. Soffer led the way with nine. He was followed by Jones, who had seven first-half points. OW was paced by Ryals (14 points) and Stanley (10) in the first half.