ADRIAN, Mich. – Junior forward Jeremiah Jackson put up his third double-double in four games, and the Roosevelt men's basketball team ran its record to an unbeaten 4-0 by scoring the final seven points of the second half to defeat host Siena Heights, 72-65, on the opening night of the Maple City Classic on Friday.
Jackson had game highs of 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Tyree York had a strong all-around game of 20 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Lakers, who also received 14 points from Joe Harks.
In a tight contest that saw both teams build 10-point leads, Siena Heights (1-2) controlled the tempo early and led by double figures in the first half. Roosevelt responded with a nice close to the opening period to go into the locker room behind by just one.
The Lakers would go on a 12-1 run in an early stretch of the second half to secure a 10-point advantage of their own before the Saints had their own response and turned the game into a back-and-forth battle late.
Siena Heights would eventually take a two-point lead on two occasions around the four-minute mark, and after the two teams traded body blows to reset the bout to a 65-65 tie with a tick under two minutes remaining, York made a layup to start the closing 7-0 run that served as the knockout punch.
That late run by Roosevelt was complemented by stifling defense that forced the hosts into 0-for-2 shooting and three turnovers in the final minute-plus.
Jackson did most of his damage after halftime, scoring 13 points on a perfect 4-for-4 period from the field while nailing five of six from the charity stripe. He also pulled down eight boards in 16 second-half minutes.
"We showed great composure in by coming back after being down early," said Roosevelt head coach Joe Griffin. "JJ was dominant, and the fouling was the difference in the game. Our guys are doing a solid job of playing positional defense, and we are rebounding, which is our recipe for winning.
"Our team is maturing every game."
Roosevelt faces Goshen in the finale of the Maple City Classic on Saturday, with live coverage of the game available on the men's basketball schedule page.
