THOMAS JEFFERSON WINS PSAL CITY CHAMPIONSHIP & STATE FEDERATION CHAMPIONSHIP

Albany - The Thomas Jefferson boys basketball team capped a 26-8 record this season by defeating Aquinas Institute 72-65, to capture the New York State Class AA Federation championship.

They were led by senior shooting guard, Rasheem Dunn's 21 points, including 11-for-12 from the free throw line.

A week prior to that, Jefferson beat their rival, Abraham Lincoln High School, 90-61 at Madison Square Garden to win their first city championship since 1954.  The game was close at the half, with Jefferson holding a four point lead.  But in the second half, Jefferson's zone defense stifled Lincoln's offense, which led to the blowout victory.

Dunn (committed to St. Francis College) and Shamorie Ponds (committed to St. John's) earned co-MVP's.  Dunn finished with 23 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Ponds contributed 31 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

Thomas Jefferson played in the 2015 Big Apple Basketball Challenge in December.  After trailing Cardinal Hayes by as many as 18 points in the second half, they came back in the final seconds on a game winning basket by Ponds to defeat Hayes, 75-74.