PITTSFORD, N.Y. – St. John Fisher sophomore guard Jack Janes scored a career-high 17 points in 26 minutes off the bench, but the Cardinals once again struggled down the stretch in a 63-52 loss to SUNY Geneseo on Friday night at Manning & Napier Varsity Gym. 

The Knights (13-8, 9-3 Empire 8 Conference) outscored the Cardinals (10-11, 6-6 Empire 8 Conference) over the last six minutes to secure the victory, their second over Fisher this season. Fisher has lost five consecutive games since improving to 6-1 in E8 play with a win over Hartwick on Jan. 23. 

Janes scored his 17 points, which were a game-high, while shooting 6-of-12 overall (4-of-8 from three) and 1-of-2 from the foul line. He also led the Cardinals with three assists and two blocked shots. 

Sophomore guard Andrew Violante also scored in double figures for Fisher, chipping in 10 points. Sophomore guard Alex Hayes had eight on 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three, and senior guard Max Schneider posted seven points on 3-of-6 shooting. 

The Knights, who shot 49% as a team, were led by Josh Garelle, who had 15 points while shooting 5-of-9. Robert Pericolosi produced a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, and Colin Gentile finished with 12 points. 

How It Happened 

The Cardinals couldn't have asked for a better start, as they opened the game on a 9-2 run behind five points from Violante and four from sophomore forward/center Maximus Michalski. Geneseo, however, quickly regrouped, getting four points from Garelle and three from Gentile during a 7-0 burst that tied the game at nine. 

Neither side held a lead larger than four the rest of the first half, which the Cardinals ended with a one-point lead thanks to a pair of lead-changing baskets in the final minute. Janes made a 3-pointer to give Fisher a 27-26 lead with 1:00 left, and Schneider, after Geneseo briefly regained the lead, made a layup with 10 seconds remaining to make it 29-28. 

Janes finished the first half with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three. Violante had seven, and Michalski scored six. 

The lead changed five times in the first four minutes and change in the second half, and the last one proved to be the final scoreboard flip-flop of the contest. Geneseo took a two-point lead, 36-34, on Tyler Hofer's 3-pointer with 15:35 left and stayed in front from there, clinging to slim advantages before finally taking firm grasp of the game in the final six minutes. 

A 7-0 run, which included five points from Landon Brunken, gave the Knights an 11-point lead with 4:33 left in the game. The Cardinals pulled within seven on a Hayes 3-pointer about a minute later, but they couldn't make enough plays to threaten Geneseo down the stretch. The Knights sank 5-of-6 free throws in the final two minutes to secure the 11-point road win. 

Up Next

The Cardinals face SUNY Brockport at 4 p.m. on Saturday inside Manning & Napier Varsity Gym. They will honor their four seniors before the game.