The Old Westbury Panthers improved to 4-3 on the season with a 67-56 win over Briarcliffe this evening at the Clark Athletic Center. Briarcliffe falls to 5-6 overall.
Old Westbury pulled out to its largest lead, a 12-point edge, with 11:58 remaining in the second half. Briarcliffe's Jenese Bennett hit a three on the next play, kicking off what would become a 9-0 run that was capped by a jumper from Toni Jones that cut the Panthers lead to three. Janera Johnson's lay-in ended the run, but Briarcliffe pulled within two moments later, as Marvasia Bolden sank a three, making the score 50-48.
Rachel Yambaye completed a three-point play on the next possession, ending the threat and the Panthers went back up by eight with 3:02 remaining in regulation, as Yambaye and Jennifer Hoyt hit back-to-back jumpers for Old Westbury.
Bennett's three-pointer with 2:16 to play pulled Briarcliffe within five, but Old Westbury scored the final six points of the game to win by a 57-56 final score.
With the Panthers up 14-12 midway through the first half, Candyce Payton scored the first of eight unanswered points, leaving Old Westbury up 22-12 with seven minutes remaining.
Briarcliffe pulled within six with 3:38 to play in the half with a made free throw by Toni Jones, but Chanel Benjamin's lay-up put Old Westbury up 26-18 and Danna Purnell followed with two free throws, putting the Panthers back on top by 10, with less than a minute remaining.
Marvasia Bolden sank two free throws on the next play and, after a missed attempt by the Panthers, closed out the half with a basket to pull Briarcliffe within six at the break.
Yambaye finished the game with her third-straight double-double, tallying game-highs in both points (22) and rebounds (13). Purnell chipped in 12 points, six assists and eight steals, while Payton finished with 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Old Westbury will return to action on Saturday at Manhattanville.