Bobcats Capture 2021 Vaden Cup

BUFFALO, NY - The Bryant & Stratton Buffalo Bobcats capped off it's 2020-21 season, winning the Men's Basketball Vaden Cup over Bryant & Stratton Syracuse, 91-89 on Sunday evening.  Junior Sam Dorissaint was named the Tournament MVP as he capped off his weekend with a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds to help Buffalo close the season with seven consecutive wins and a Conference Championship.

Buffalo jumped out to an early dominating 17-2 lead in the opening five minutes, scoring 17 straight after two to open the game from Syracuse.  All 17 points came from Buffalo's Stamford, CT trio.  Senior Shyquinn Dix scored the first seven points and had nine of the first 17.  Dorissaint had seven and freshman Danny Turkvan had two.  

Buffalo kept command of the game over the opening 20 minutes as Dorissaint scored 21 of his 27 in the first half.  They led by as many as 16, which was their halftime lead (53-37) thanks to a buzzer-beating three from sophomore Davon Ware.

Syracuse opened the second half strong, opening the half on an 11-0 run, capped by five straight from Jerry Saintelus.  After Buffalo increased it's lead back to 10 moments later after a layup from junior Jason Mixon, Syracuse scored seven straight to get within three.  They eventually came all the way back to tie the game at 68 with 9:56 left.  But Buffalo responded as Ware and sophomore Eric Waters connected on back-to-back threes.

After two Syracuse free throws, Waters put another two points home for Buffalo, this time courtesy of a thunderous two-hand alley-oop slam off a nice pass from Dix.

The two teams battled hard down the stretch as Syracuse hung around, eventually tying the game at 89 in the final 30 seconds.  With Buffalo having possession in the final seconds, Turkvan took a baseline jumper as the shot clock was expiring that fell short.  Saintelus of Syracuse reached for the rebound, but the ball was abruptly taken away from him by Waters who was then fouled with one second left on the clock.

After a timeout and attempt to ice the shooter from Syracuse, Waters showed that the only ice around, was in his veins, as he buried both free throws giving Buffalo a two-point lead and eventual lead as Syracuse's last-second heave was off the mark.

Buffalo had five players in double-figures.  After Dorissaint's game-high 27, Dix added 19 and Waters had 17 off the bench.  Ware and Turkvan scored 11 and 10 points respectively.

Syracuse had five players in double figures as well and were led by Jameel Abdallah 25 points and 10 rebounds.  Tyler Gadson and Ishyne Pilgrim each scored 17.

TOURNAMENT MVP
Sam Dorissaint was named the Vaden Cup Tournament MVP after scoring 27 points in the championship game.  Dorissaint went 10-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the win, also securing 11 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists.  He averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, while also shooting 67 percent from the floor and from three for the tournament, helping the Bobcats finish the season 16-5 and winners of their last seven games.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sam Dorissaint (MVP), Buffalo
Davon Ware, Buffalo
Shyquinn Dix, Buffalo
Jameel Abdallah, Syracuse
Andre Hairston, Rochester
Khallyn LaFond, Albany