By Mitch Abramson
John Sikiric added 23 points and moved into eighth all-time on the Queens all-time scoring list, past Jeff Maloney with 1,219 points. The Maspeth native was named NYCAC Player of the Week for a second time this year.Kenald Bernard came off the bench to add 9 points and 7 rebounds and Shaun Bertin had 8 points and 9 rebounds for Queens, which lost its first game of the year Dec. 29., an 88-79 defeat by Virginia State University.After hosting Philadelphia University in a huge NYCAC clash Wednesday night, Queens is home for Mercy College Saturday and plays at Molloy College Tuesday night.Despite 17 points from former Christ the King standout, Cigi McCollin, the Hofstra women's basketball team was upended by UNC Wilmington 67-57 Sunday in the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both teams. Hofstra trailed throughout the game but went on a 8-2 run with consecutive 3-pointers from McCollin, a sophomore from Long Island City who is averaging 15.9 points a game to pull the Pride within 47-45 before stumbling in the closing minutes. As a freshman, McCollin appeared in all 28 games, starting 20 of them and averaged 7.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest.Head coach Tom Pecora, a native of Queens Village, and the Hofstra men's basketball team, finally lost a game this season, falling to No. 7 Syracuse 80-75 last Thursday to drop to 9-1. It was Syracuse' sixth win in a row to improve to 13-1 on the season. Hofstra led for most of the game until Gerry McNamara knocked down a three-pointer with 9:42 remaining to take a 62-61 lead.Archbishop Molloy product Sundiata Gaines continued his impressive freshman campaign with 10 points in a 56-52 loss to Stetson University Friday. Gaines is averaging 13.9 points in 36 minutes a game for 6-4 Georgia. Gaines averaged 28.2 points his senior year at Molloy and finished third on the all-time Stanner scoring list. Former Christ the King standout Shay Doron scored 17 points, going 8-for-11 from the free throw line for No. 17 Maryland in a 77-67 loss to Virginia Tech Sunday. The 5-foot-9 sophomore from Great Neck was the first ever Terrapin named to the All-ACC team as a freshman, earning a spot on the third team. Queens' product Terrance Watkins scored 16 points for St. Peter's in a 95-86 loss to visiting Rider Monday night. The former Bishop Loughlin standout is averaging 13.4 points and leads the team with 3.2 assists a contest. He is second on the team in rebounding with 4.8 a game and is averaging 28.6 minutes a contest.Reach reporter Mitch Abramson by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
