For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Brooklyn College Women’s Basketball team has won the CUNYAC Championship, defeating the College of Staten Island 59–50 in the tournament final Friday. The Bulldogs improved to 24–3 with the championship victory, while CSI dropped to 21-6 with the loss. With this win, the Bulldogs receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. After reaching the CUNYAC finals five times in the last six years, and receiving his fifth Coach of the Year award, Bulldogs Head Coach Alex Lang earned his first title in the 16 years he’s been at the helm of the basketball program. “I’m so proud of my team, happy for my seniors, and excited to have the chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament,” Lang said. “This team is special and I can’t wait to see how they perform on the biggest stage. I’d like to thank our families, President Anderson, Athletic Director Bruce Filosa, our college’s cheerleading team and, of course, all of the fans that made this such a special night!” Brooklyn freshman forward, Chanel Jemmott had an answer for the Dolphins all evening long, garnering the game’s MVP honors after finishing with a game-high of 18 points, 14 rebounds (10 offensive), and two blocks. “This feeling is nothing short of amazing,” Jemmott said. “I’m thankful for having teammates and coaching staff that have the utmost faith in me. We all worked so hard for this; it’s well deserved.” CSI opened the second half with a 14-1 run to take its first lead since early in the first quarter, 30–29, with 4:58 minutes left in the third quarter. Jemmott gave the Bulldogs back the lead, 31–30, with 4:22 left in the quarter. Thanks to a 10–0 Brooklyn run, capped by a 3-point goal by Taylor George, the Bulldogs gained a 43-33 advantage heading in to the final quarter. George impressed from the start of the season, scoring 13 points while shooting 3-6 from beyond the arc and propelling the Bulldogs past the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Bobcats. She closed out the regular season second, averaging 12.3 points per game, and was named CUNYAC Rookie of the Week four times during the regular season. Brooklyn continued its third-quarter run into the fourth and George would finish with 15 points, shooting a perfect 3–3 from beyond the arc for the evening. The Bulldogs grabbed its largest lead of the game (19 points) with 2:40 remaining in the contest. “The hustle and work ethic of every single player on this team was the game-changing factor this season,” said senior guard Karen Mak, a physical education major. “We worked hard and we played hard, and that resulted in winning games and being the best team in the conference,” said the All-CUNYAC First Teamer, who finished with seven points, seven assists, and five rebounds.
