The Brooklyn College Men's Basketball Team (22-5) knocked off rival York College (14-13) on Wednesday night, advancing to their first CUNYAC Championship since 1978, as they will face Baruch College on Friday, February 27th at 7:45 pm.

Junior Richard Jean-Baptiste (St. John's Prep / Queens, NY) led the way, as he has done all season, scoring a game-high 26 points and pulling down a team-high 9 boards.

The game was tight throughout the first half, with the Bridges leading through the early part of the stanza. The Cardinals took the lead with 7:47 on a Nahum Verna three pointer and held the advantage throughout the remainder of the first half. York shot 60 percent from the field in the first, shooting 18 for 30.

But it all changed in the second half as Podias' team tightened up and forced the issue on defense. Pressure defense combined with Jean-Baptiste's scoring on the interior led Brooklyn on the comeback trail. Easy baskets were hard to come by for York, as the Cardinals ended up shooting just 25 percent from the field in the second half and 59 percent from the line.

The Bridges would take the lead for good with 10:19 remaining in the second half, after Thomas Guerin (St. Edmund Prep / Brooklyn, NY) scored a basket from close range and was fouled. The forward sunk the free throw and Brooklyn led, 57-56.

Clutch shots from reserve Marlon Thornton and free throws from Jean-Baptiste iced the game in Brooklyn's favor, as Coach Podias' squad heads to their first final in over thirty years.

Tickets to Friday's Championship Game are free and available in the athletics office.  Call 718-951-5366 or email sports information director Alex Lang, alang@brooklyn.cuny.edu, for more information.