| 2/1/2003 8:10:18 PM
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ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Mike Stanton (Honeoye, Falls, N.Y.) reached his 1,000 career point at the 12:48 mark in the second half to lead RIT to it’s third straight win with the 81-70 victory over Utica. Stanton finished the night with 18 points, seven boards and two assists.
RIT jetted to a quick lead led by guards Reggie Shore (Amityville, NY/Amityville) (Amityville, N.Y.) and Daniel Cerro (Union Springs, N.Y./Union Springs) (Union Springs, N.Y.) netting two quick buckets off turnovers by the Pioneers. However Utica answered when Rickey Adams (New York, N.Y.) hit the jumper in the paint. Both teams worked for the lead in the beginning but the Tiger’s duo of Shore and Cerro ran the court setting up RIT’s offensive threat. Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) (Buffalo, N.Y.) secured the Tigers lead with a three-pointer off a pass from Cerro. RIT finished the half leading by eight.
With Stanton only thee points from 1,000 to begin the half, RIT entered the floor with a renewed enthusiasm. In spite of this Utica worked in the post causing the Tigers to commit foul after foul sending the Pioneers to the charity stripe. Quickly the score was tied at 40-40 with 17:37 in regulation. For the next four minutes RIT went on an 18-7 run in which Stanton scored his 1,000-point at the 12:48 mark. At this point the defensive play of the Tiger line-up shut down the any maneuvers of the Pioneers giving RIT the win .
Four Tigers scored in double figures in Stanton with 18, Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude) (Buffalo, N.Y.) with 13, Shore and Cerro each added 11.
RIT will return to action Tuesday when they travel to Nazareth for a first place showdown, both teams are 5-1 in the Empire 8.
