Box Score
FLUSHING, N.Y. (Jan. 11, 2010)- In a matchup of two teams tied for second place in the East Coast Conference, the C.W. Post men's basketball team came out on top, earning a 98-85 victory, as four players scored in double-figures on Wednesday evening at Fitzgerald Gymnasium. 

The Pioneers, winners of six straight games, improve to 9-4 overall and 5-2 in the ECC, while Queens slips to 7-6 and 4-3 in the conference. 

Queens charged out to a 5-0 lead, but a three-pointer by senior guard Nemanja Jokic (Sombor, Serbia) and two free throws byjunior forward Deshawn Gibbons (Roxbury, Mass.) tied the score at the 17:58 mark. The teams traded baskets and the score remained close for the next three and a half minutes, and the Pioneers trailed by just three points at 15:14. 

However, Queens scored the next three baskets to take a nine-point lead with 13:28 to play, and led 21-12. C.W. Post pulled to within six points after a three-point play by freshman guard Jonathan Kohler (Bordentown, N.J.), but Queens pushed ahead again, and after two free throws by Lamonte Lans at 10:49, the Pioneers trailed by ten points, 27-17.

But the Pioneers again chipped away, and pulled to within three points following a layup from senior forward James Tchana (Douala, Cameroon) at 7:24.

C.W. Post stayed right with Queens over the next two minutes of play, matching each QC score with a Pioneer basket, and, with 5:25 remaining, a jumper by Tchana tied the score at 33-33. C.W. Post took its first lead of the game as Gil Montalvo (Astoria, N.Y.) swished a pull-up jumper for a 35-33 advantage. The Knights answered right back with a free throw and a jumper, regaining the lead, 36-35, but Montalvo struck again, this time for a three-pointer, and put C.W. Post on top, 38-37.

C.W. Post would take a one-point lead into halftime, leading 42-41. Following the halftime break, Queens forward Akim Neverson banked a jumper for a 43-42 lead, C.W. Post answered on a trey from Jokic, but Neverson hit another jumper to tie the game again, 45-45. A jumper from Kohler gave the visitors a two-point lead, 47-45, but Khaleef Allicott swished a trey to put Queens up by one, 48-47. 

However, it would be the last lead Queens would hold, as sophomore Billy Butler (Elmont, N.Y.) nailed a ten-footer at 17:59 for a 49-48 C.W. Post lead, starting what would turn into a 16-2 run, giving the visitors a 13 points lead following a trey from Jokic at the 15:13 mark.

But Queens once again battled back and went on a 9-2 run of their own, pulling to within six points, 65-59, at 12:32. The Pioneers lead fluctuated between five and nine points over the next three minutes, until C.W. Post finally pushed the lead into double digits, holding a 78-68 advantage at 7:22. The Knights never got closer than 11 points for the remainder of the contests, as the Pioneers led by as many as 17 points in cruising to the victory.

Jokic led the Pioneers with 24 points on 9-14 shooting and a career-best 5-6 from behind the arc. Macklin came on strong in the second half, scoring all but two of this 18 points in the latter half of play. Kohler was good for 17 points, and Montalvo chipped in with 11 points and six assists.

Queens was led by Neverson with a game-high 25 points on 11-14 shooting. Allicott added 16 points, Lans scored 12 points, and Anderson Labase chipped with 10 points. 

Both teams shot 58% from the floor, as the Pioneers were 35-60, and Queens was 34-58. C.W. Post held and edge from long-range as the Pioneers were 7-13 (53%) from three-point range, compared to Queens' 4-14 effort from beyond the arc. C.W. Post also shot much better from the charity stripe, making 21-of-28 compared to just 13-of-26 for Queens.

C.W. Post has another big ECC matchup on Wednesday, as they host first place Bridgeport at 7:00 p.m. at the Pratt Recreation Center.