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St. Joseph's University - Long Island

The Official Site of St. Joseph's University, New York - Long Island Athletics

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St. Joseph's University, New York - Long Island

Gaston
55
Merchant Marine USMMA 3-5,0-1 Skyline
81
Winner St. Joseph's (L.I.) SJCLI 3-5,1-0 Skyline
Merchant Marine USMMA
3-5,0-1 Skyline
55
Final
81
St. Joseph's (L.I.) SJCLI
3-5,1-0 Skyline
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Merchant Marine USMMA 32 23 55
St. Joseph's (L.I.) SJCLI 39 42 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Hayley Peck | Assistant Manager for Media Relations

Men's Basketball Wins Conference Opener

When and Where

December 13, 2025 – John A. Danzi Center Gym, Patchogue, NY

Records

St. Joseph's University, Long Island (3–5, 1–0 Skyline)
Merchant Marine (3-5, 0-1 Skyline)

Result

St. Joseph's University, Long Island 81, Merchant Marine 55

Top Performers

  • Kenny Rodriguez led the Golden Eagles with a double-double of 19 points (8-for-16 from the field and 3-for-7 beyond the arc), 11 rebounds, seven assists, a block, and a steal.
  • Jaiden Gaston contributed 19 points as well, made five of 11 3-pointers, five assists, and a steal.
  • TayShaun Hawkins added 14 points, two rebounds, and an assist.
  • AJ Esposito posted a double-double with 12 points (4-for-8 from the field) and 17 rebounds to go along with three steals.
  • Anthony Todd recorded seven points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

How It Happened

  • St. Joseph's jumped out early behind balanced scoring from multiple players like Todd, Esposito, and Hawkins and strong ball movement.
  • The Golden Eagles controlled the glass, creating second-chance opportunities and limiting Merchant Marine's ability to score.
  • Gaston and Rodriguez set the tone offensively, combining to hit multiple three-pointers and push the pace.
  • Towards the end of the first half USMMA took multiple scoring runs to shorten SJLI's lead, but the Golden Eagles ended the half still leading 39-32.
  • Coming out of the break, St. Joseph's turned up the defensive pressure, holding Merchant Marine to 25 percent shooting in the second half.
  • Rodriguez took over offensively, knocking down multiple jumpers and a pair of three-pointers as the Golden Eagles pushed the margin into double figures.
  • Gaston's timely threes and Esposito's control of the paint sparked a decisive run midway through the half.
  • Back-to-back threes from Hawkins further broke the game as the Golden Eagles built their largest lead of the night.
  • Two free throws from Josh Hayes at the end of the second half helped SJLI to secure their first conference victory wth a score of 81-55.

Notes

  • St. Joseph's shot 46.9% (30–64) from the field and 43.3% (13-30) from three-point range.
  • The Golden Eagles went 8-for-14 (57.1%) from the free-throw line.
  • SJLI forced 12 Merchant Marine turnovers and recorded seven steals.
  • The Mariners were out rebound 59-20 and both teams tied 24-24 for points in the paint.

Up Next

The Golden Eagles head on the road Wednesday, Dec. 17 to face Centenary University (NJ) at 7:00 PM.
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