Men's Basketball sinks Jefferson to open 2023-24

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania - The American International College men's basketball team kicked off the 2023-24 campaign with a 69-63 win over Jefferson University on Saturday, November 11.

AIC starts the season 1-0.

The Rams started strong, leading 11-4 less than five minutes in on a Hakim Byrd jumper, and led by as much as nine before AIC began coming back. Just shy of the 11:00 mark, a Jalen Jordan three from Tyrae Washington put AIC up for the first time, 15-14.

Jefferson retook the lead and rebuilt its advantage to 26-18 with an Erik Timko triple at 15:03, but a determined Yellow Jackets squad answered again. Justice Ellison started and finished a 10-point run, knocking in a jumper with nine seconds to go in the half as AIC took a 28-26 edge into the locker room.

Ellison picked up where he left off with a quick jumper to start the second, but the Rams countered with a three and a two to go back up briefly before Lovre Zaja hit a layup from Jack Hall. The teams traded the lead, but Hall hit a pair of triples and then Aguibou Balde found Zaja, giving AIC a 42-36 lead and forcing a Jefferson timeout with 12:04 to play.

The Rams adjusted at the stoppage and quickly drew even thanks to a pair of threes, but Ellison again answered. A Buka Peikrishvili triple put AIC ahead after Jefferson's previous possession, leading to a back-and-forth that saw the Rams take the lead back at 53-51 only to have Ellison come up again, sinking a three off of a Balde dish with 6:42 to play.

Jefferson bounced back again, and went up 57-54 to force an AIC timeout. Hall responded well, finishing an open three from Ellison to tie it. On AIC's next possession, Omarion Jett-Dobbs sent Washington in for a slam to give AIC the lead. The Yellow Jackets never looked back from there, hitting free throws down the stretch to close out the win.

Ellison's 19 points led AIC, and he chipped in six boards as well. Washington managed a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Hall scored 16 points as well to give AIC three in double digits. Four players, including Ellison and Zaja, each dished three assists to tie for AIC's lead.

AIC closes out the weekend with a 2:00 p.m. battle against host Holy Family University on Sunday, November 12.