BRONX – Fordham men’s basketball fans got an early look at the 2024-25 Rams today as the Rams hosted Holy Cross in an exhibition game to benefit Able Athletics. And thanks to a late Rams rally the fans went home happy as Fordham downed the Crusaders, 67-64, in the Rose Hill Gym.
Senior guard Jackie Johnson III, making his debut in a Fordham uniform, led the Rams with a game-high 20 points, connecting on four three-pointers, while junior forward Romad Dean added 17 points and a game-best seven rebounds, and grad student guard Japhet Medor chipped in with 16 points and four assists.
The Rams trailed by two at the break, 32-30, and were down three, 50-47, with 5:41 remaining. Fordham then used an 18-5 run to take its biggest lead of the day, 65-55, following a Medor driving layup with 1:45 remaining. Dean recorded the first five points of the run while Medor added four.
But Holy Cross wouldn’t go away, scoring seven unanswered points to make it a three-point game, 65-62, with 42 seconds left.
A pair of Medor free throws bumped the Fordham lead back to five, 67-62, 28 seconds later but a Crusader basket with four ticks on the clock made it a three-point game once again.
Fordham turned the ball over on the inbounds play and Holy Cross had one last chance for the tie but a three by Joe Nugent didn’t find the basket as the buzzer sounded.
The Rams were without the services of three potential starters: Abdou Tsimbila, Jahmere Tripp and Joshua Rivera.
The Rams will host another exhibition game to raise funds for Able Athletics next Sunday, October 27, at 2:00 p.m. in the Rose Hill Gym.
