STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Senior guard Sandy Burgos (Fort Lee, N.J./Fort Lee) led four Pioneers in double figures with 24 points to help the William Paterson men's basketball team (9-2) secure an 81-75 victory against the host Dolphins (5-4) Dec. 29 in the championship game of Staten Island's Tournament of Heroes.
 
Burgos, the tournament MVP, was 4-for-5 (.800) from three-point range and made 10 of 14 (.714) free throws for his team-best 24 tallies. Senior guard Jaques Conceicao (Massama-Lisboa, Portugal/Francais Charle Lepierre) and junior guard Bright Mensah (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) each finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while junior forward Terik Bridgeman (Harlem, N.Y./Nia Prep) had 13 tallies and eight boards to garner a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Junior forward James McLane (Belleville, N.J./Queen of Peace) pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
A 14-2 early run put the Pioneers ahead by double digits (16-6, 10:11), and WP turned a 35-31 halftime advantage into a nine-point margin less than three minutes into the second period (43-34, 17:44). When a 13-1 Dolphin run briefly handed the hosts a 55-53 lead at the 8:44 mark, sophomore guard Turrell McClendon (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway Tech) ignited a 15-6 surge to put WP back on top, 68-61 with 2:23 left.
 
Staten Island gave William Paterson a bit of a scare late, knocking down three three-pointers in just 20 seconds to make it an 80-75 score with 11 seconds left. Burgos was fouled and sank the back end of a two-shot trip to the free-throw line with eight seconds remaining, and a final CSI turnover ended the threat.
 
The Pioneers dominated the glass, 48-25, and shot 47.5 (28-59) percent from the field while limiting the Dolphins to 23-for-60 (.383) shooting.
 
Junior forward Will Fonseca finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds to pace CSI.
 
William Paterson will return to action Wednesday, Jan. 7, at home against Kean at 6:00 p.m.
 
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