Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College men's basketball team opened their 2006-2007 season tonight hosting the Annual Roadrunner Tip-Off Tournament at the Bradley Center in Mahwah. In the first match-up of the night, Farmingdale State dropped Berkeley 90-29 while Ramapo earned a 76-65 victory over Yeshiva in game two to open the year at 1-0.

The lead changed 11 times during the first half and Ramapo fell behind, 35-33 at the intermission after Yeshiva's Harel Vatavu (Israel) posted 12 points hitting 4-9 including two three-pointers. Shuki Merlis (Atlanta, GA) netted eight points of his own and led the team with four total rebounds. Ramapo's Antoine Pryor (Elizabeth, NJ) led the way recording nine first half points with one steal and one board. Ahmad Mosby (Jersey City, NJ) and Tim Wesley (Jersey City, NJ) each contributed six points in the half. Ramapo shot only 7-16 (44%) from the line hitting 12-29 (41%) from the floor behind Yeshiva's 4-4 (100%) from the line and 14-27 (52%) form the floor.

In the final 20 minutes of play, Ramapo began to pull away and spread their lead to as many as 15 with just over seven minutes left to play. They finished the night 11 points ahead of Yeshiva behind Wesley who finished the night with 19 points hitting 8-15. Wesley grabbed a team high three steals and Mosby netted 16 points with four boards in the win. Pryor recorded 14 points and Omar Alston (Carteret, NJ) sunk ten. Mosby led the way dishing out eight assists. For Yeshiva, Vatavu led the way with 18 and Merlis and Ian Ribald (Dallas, TX) recorded 17 and 15 respectively. The Roadrunners finished the night behind Yeshiva hitting 27-57 (47%) while Yeshiva nailed 26-54 (48%).

Farmingdale State opened to a 9-0 lead before Berkeley got on the board at the 17:17 minute mark when Phillipe Leger hit a jumper to close the gap, 9-2. Farmingdale Grabbed a double digit lead just under five minutes in and spread the gap to as many as 28, ending the half, 46-22 over Berkeley. Farmingdale's Peter Lipka (Shelton, CT) led the way with 14 points shooting 5-11, hitting three shots from behind the arc. Daimien Santana (Brooklyn, NY) netted nine points and grabbed six rebounds for the team. Berkeley's Ricardo Gayle led the team with nine points in the half.

Farmingdale finished on top, 90-29 led by Terry Menefee (Mission, KS) who netted 18 points in the win after dropping eight in the first. Lipka finished the day with 15 and Santana wrapped up the win netting ten of his own. Shane Denully (Bronx, NY) grabbed six steals in the win and Menefee dished out four assists. Farmingdale State shot 56% from the field hitting 34-61 while Berkeley hit 8-45 (18%).

The Roadrunners advance to play Farmingdale State in the championship game tomorrow at 3:00 PM while Yeshiva takes on Berkeley College in a consolation match-up at 1:00 PM.