(Riverdale, NY) – Hundreds of screaming basketball fans packed the Grace Athletics Center on Saturday night to not only witness one of the most significant moments in the history of the Mount Saint Vincent Men's Basketball program, but to see what was perhaps the most important game in the lives of four Dolphin seniors who were honored prior to the game for Senior Night. And while every one of those fans were given a seat … all they needed was the edge.
Senior James Mooney (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) scored a game-high 32 points, and with 5:37 remaining in the second half hit an open jump shot, scoring the 1,784th point of his career to become the all-time leading scorer in Mount Saint Vincent history, and led a furious second-half effort that saw perhaps the most wild finish of the 2005-06 season, but the effort fell short as Mount Saint Vincent lost its final game of the 2005-06 season, 79-76 to Yeshiva University during a game played at Mount Saint Vincent. With the loss, the Dolphins have been eliminated from Skyline Conference playoff contention and finish the season with a 9-16 record, including a 5-10 mark in the Skyline Conference. The Mount finished mere percentage points behind USMMA-Kings Point for the final playoff berth, and a win Saturday night would have sent the Dolphins to the post-season.
During a game that saw seven ties and 13 lead changes, Mount Saint Vincent had every opportunity to win the game, or at least force overtime, during the final minute of the game. Down 78-76 as the final seconds ticked away, the Mount forced three Yeshiva turnovers, but missed four open shots that could have changed the final result. Mooney had the best opportunity, missing a three-point shot with nine 0:09 remaining that would have won the game. Mount Saint Vincent was able to rebound the missed shot, but a turnover with 0:02 remaining in the game sent Yeshiva home with the win. Mooney was one of four Dolphins to score in double figures as Greg Casey (Mount Vernon, NY/Blessed Sacrament) scored 13 points, while Charles Hernandez (Bronx, NY/Msgr. Scanlan) and Derek Charlton (Yonkers, NY/St. Raymond's) each scored 11 points.
The game was fairly even statistically as Yeshiva (13-11, 8-7 Skyline Conference) outrebounded the Mount, 43-42, but Yeshiva turned the ball over 21 times, while Mount Saint Vincent committed 17. The difference was shooting as the Macs shot 47% from the floor, while the Dolphins converted only 35% of their field goal attempts. Yeshiva was particularly hot during the first half, hitting 52% of their shots, but led Mount Saint Vincent only 42-41 after 20 minutes, largely due to Mooney's 16 points during that stretch.
For Yeshiva, Shuki Merlis (Atlanta, GA/Yeshiva Atlanta) had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Itzy Ribald (Dallas, TX/Yavneh Academy) also scored 21 points, every one of which was on a three-point shot.
But the story of the nig
ht was Mooney, who averaged 36.3 points per game during his final four games to break the Dolphin career scoring record. He finishes his career with 1,793 career points (10 points more than Danny Costello '92, who scored 1,783 points during his three-year career), including 318 career three-point shots, which puts him in 16th place in Division III history. His 617 points during the 2005-06 season was the second highest scoring season in Mount Saint Vincent history, and he is currently among the nation's leaders in scoring, three point field goals per game, and steals per game. Mooney's 2005-06 season included 18 games with 20 points or more, and 10 games with at least 30 points. He also converted 101 three-point field goal attempts this season and shot 77% from the free throw line.
Mooney, Casey, Hernandez, and Jarrett Herche (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman) graduate having combined for 3,875 total points, 1,458 total rebounds, 892 total assists, and 485 total steals.
