ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Junior Brendan Trapper came away with a career-high 32 points in Wednesday night's crosstown tilt with the University of Rochester at Blue Cross Arena. Despite the outstanding performance from the forward, the St. John Fisher College men's basketball team suffered their first defeat of 2021 against the Yellowjackets, 86-73.  The Cardinals now stand at 2-1 overall but retain their untainted 2-0 Empire 8 record, while Rochester moves to 3-2 with the win.
 
Trapper finished his career-best night shooting 10-16 from the field, including 2 three-pointers, and went 10-11 from the charity stripe. He added six rebounds, two dimes, and a steal to accompany the performance.
 
Fellow forward Daniel Cook added 21 points and three boards to the affair, while point guard Sean Williams put on a defensive clinic as he nabbed seven steals and scored 12 points of his own. Williams was just one steal shy of tying the men's basketball program record of eight in a single game, set by Jim Dudas in 1981 and matched by St. John Fisher Hall of Famer Joe Granteed in 1986.
 
Trapper's hot shooting started right from tipoff, as he scored all of the team's first nine points, including a decisive and-one to bring the Cardinals within seven points at the 13-minute mark. Rochester widened the gap to 13, but not before Williams grabbed one of his seven steals that turned into a three-point bucket for the junior.
 
Down 12 points coming out of the intermission, Trapper and Cook connected on back-to-back layups to bring the Cardinals back within eight points. Just a few minutes later, a Trapper jumper sparked a five-minute 14-6 Fisher scoring run that narrowed the deficit to just three points, at 59-56.
 
Rochester scored two straight baskets followed by four free throws to increase their lead to 11 at the 7:20 mark remaining in regulation. Fisher refused to give in as three consecutive baskets from Cook brought them back to within six, but the Cardinals couldn't hang on as the Yellowjackets slipped away with the 13-point victory.
 
As a team, the Cardinals shot a combined 36.1% from the field and 29.4% from deep, while committing just 12 turnovers as opposed to the Yellowjackets' 22. Rochester not only shot 62% and 31.3% respectively, but they also won the rebounding matchup, out-boarding Fisher 41-24.
 
Fisher takes back to the hardwood this Sunday, March 14 when the Sage Colleges Gators travel to Manning and Napier Varsity Gym for an Empire 8 afternoon showdown at 2 P.M. on Bobby Wanzer Court.