NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 9, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs JV men's basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the 2019 American Independent Post Grad and Collegiate Conference (AIPGCC) Championship tournament on Saturday after defeating the College of New Rochelle JV team, 89-66, in the quarterfinals of the tournament at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs will take on No. 6-seed Prestige Preparatory Academy in Sunday's semifinal round.
 
The Mustangs had full control early on in the game, running out to an 18-5 advantage by the 13:41 mark of the first half. The Blue Angels quickly got back within two after an 11-0 run, but back-to-back threes by Anthony Monti gave Monroe a 24-16 edge.
 
A 7-0 run later in the frame gave the Mustangs a 33-21 lead, but CNR once again managed to chip away at the deficit, this time with a bunch of three-pointers, to get back within three. A dunk by Kaynaan Longley put the Mustangs up by five, and a last-second inbound steal and layup by Rakim Bryant left the Mustangs up, 43-36, heading into the half.
 
Monti had a big first half, scoring 15 points to lead all scorers. Aaron Burton and Bryant each contributed eight points, while Burton matched Longley for a team-high five rebounds.
 
The Blue Angels seemed to have the early momentum in the second half, getting within one at 49-48 with 14:14 on the clock. The Mustangs responded in impressive fashion, going on a 17-0 run to take an 18-point advantage with 9:48 to play. The Blue Angels got as close as 14 points with 5:24 left, but the Mustangs put a stamp on it late in the game to win by 23.
 
Monti and Bryant matched for a game-high 23 points in the win. Monti also led the team with five assists while adding three steals. Bryant made five three-pointers in the win. Burton completed a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Longley finished with nine points and a team-high 13 rebounds, while Javaughn Daniel added eight points and 11 boards.
 
The Mustangs will face off with Prestige Prep on Sunday at 4 p.m. with a spot in the AIPGCC Championship game on the line. Before that game, No. 1 Our Saviour Lutheran will take on No. 4 The Robinson School at 2 p.m. in the other semifinal contest.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 29 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has nine varsity and junior varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).