Berkeley College Basketball Team Wins Third National Championship Title

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The Berkeley College Men’s Basketball team recently grabbed its third consecutive U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship by blasting past the No. 6-seeded Nittany Lions of Penn State York by 80-76 in the title game.

The Berkeley College Men’s Basketball team recently won its third consecutive United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship.
Photo Credit: *Berkeley College*

K Reakes

03/17/2017 11:54 a.m.

With the victory, the Knights ended their undefeated 2016-2017 season at 29-0, becoming the first team to win three straight USCAA crowns. The team also extended its program winning streak to 53 consecutive games.

“During the preseason, the coaching staff, the student-athletes, and I – we all had the same primary goal – the same dream – and that was to be standing on this court celebrating a USCAA Division II National Championship,” said Chris Christiansen, Berkeley College head coach. “This will be a memory we will all cherish for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t be more proud of these student-athletes and coaches.”

Player highlights included Massiah Merritt, the USCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, who scored a team-high 28 points, collected four rebounds, tallied three steals, and added two assists.

Second Team All-American Stephon Jennings scored 10 of his 16 points in overtime while snatching nine rebounds, adding six assists, and tallying two steals. Ricardo Ayuso contributed 11 points, and Emmanuel Osama connected on his first four shot attempts, finalizing his night with eight points, five rebounds, and three steals.

Berkeley College has three New York campuses – Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn and White Plains and five campuses in New Jersey.

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