The NYC Hoops #10 Cardozo Judges won ugly – as they often do -- on Friday night, besting the Frederick Douglass Academy Lions, 59-45, in the first semifinal of the SNY Invitational at NYU's Coles Sports Center.
In a game that featured a combined 39 turnovers and 36 fouls, Cardozo used a big third quarter to move on to the inaugural tournament's championship game on Saturday.
After the teams traded a pair of buckets to start the game, Cardozo went on an 8-2 run to open up a 12-6 lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter. A three by FDA guard Kenny Baez cut the Judges' lead in half before the end of the period, but Cardozo answered.
The Oakland Gardens school put together a 10-2 run to go up 22-11 – on a lay-up by guard Trinity Fields -- with 2:23 remaining in the second. Douglass, however, responded with a 7-0 run to close the half within four.
The third period belonged to 'Dozo. A three-point play by Baez cut the Judges' lead to one, 22-21, but Cardozo then put the FDA momentum to a halt with a 10-0 sequence that was bookended by threes from Fields. A free throw by Douglass forward Taye Daniel stopped the bleeding, but the Judges immediately put together another run – 9-2 – to end the third quarter ahead, 41-24.
Douglass didn't get closer than 12 behind the rest of the way.
Fields was the key to the Judges' super third quarter. The Iona-bound point guard scored just five points in the first half, but tallied 12 in the penultimate stanza to help 'Dozo pull away.
Fields finished with 21 points, which led all scorers. Leading the way for the Lions was forward Jayquan Anderson, who racked up 13 points.
Cardozo will have a tough task in the championship game, as the Judges face NYC Hoops #3 Lincoln which features Lance Stephenson at 8 p.m. FDA takes on Kennedy in the tournament consolation game at 6 p.m.
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