By Joseph Staszewski
Part of Bradd Wierzbicki's game was struggling, but that didn't mean he was.
The senior scored a game-high 35 points and led the Queens College men's basketball team to an 86-71 win at New York Institute of Technology Thursday night.
Wierzbicki scored 20 of the Knights' 47 first-half points and did it without being particularly sharp from behind the arch. He was just 2-for-7 in the game.
“When the three is not going I have to find other ways to score,” he said. “I think I was able to get to rim and get out especially in transition. I think that was where I was the best tonight.”
His team was, too.
New York Tech's Bryant Lassiter connected on one of his eight three pointers to pull the Bears to within 50-58 with 14:19 left to play in the second half. But Queens (19-5, 15-2 NYCAC) responded by picking up its intensity on defensive end and back boards to spark a 10-2 run.
A missed jumper by New York Tech (5-19, 4-13) lead to a transition layup by Wierzbicki with 11:12 left. Kenald Bernard's basket at 9:19 capped the surge and put Queens up 68-55. The Knights out rebounded the NYIT 35-19 in the game and 27-14 on the defensive glass.
“Once we toughened up on D then we were able to get into transition and pretty much got what even shot we wanted,” Wierzbicki said.
The Knights shot 60.3 percent from the field.
NYIT stayed in the game because of the play of Lassiter.
The freshman guard's 29 points lead the Bears, who shot 14-for-27 from behind the arch.
Lassiter was an astounding 8-for-10
“He's going to be a pain in the [butt] for the next for years,” Queens College coach Kyrk Peponakis said. “He's tough. He was giving us a problem. He just didn't have much help out there.”
The injury depleted Bears had just two other player, both starters, in double figures. Edwin Ebanks finished with 12 and Alex Kvitnitsky added 10. Queens, on the other hand, got a lift from its bench.
NYIT led 26-25 with 9:40 left go in the first half. But Queens' renewed defensive pressure created turnovers and easy transition baskets. The 14-2 run began with a thunderous two handed slam by Marvin Lawrence (10 points) and ended with a fast break basket by Anthony Maurceri, both reserves. They gave the Knights a 39-28 lead with 6:53 left in the half.
“We turned the ball over too many times,” NYIT coach Sal Lagano said. “The problem was, our post players were not able to get position on some of their bigger guys.”
The last time the two teams met, Jan. 14 at Queens College, the Knights won 100-65, but Peponakis was not surprise by the energized and consistent effort of Lagano's team.
“They shoot it well, he gets them to play hard, not at all,” Peponakis said. “Not at all.”
Yet, New York Tech's 14 threes and inspired effort could not answer the play of a slashing Wierzbicki.
“He can really finish,” Lagano said “Pretty much I tell the guys, when he hits the paint its over.”
