By John Torenli

Brooklyn native and former Banneker Academy star Jaytornah Wisseh is making an early bid for Northeast Conference Player of the Year honors.

But the rest of the Long Island University Blackbirds had trouble keeping up with their leader during Friday night’s season-opening 83-70 loss at St. John’s in Jamaica, N.Y.

“I think Jaytornah Wisseh is a star that really dictated the tempo of the game and kept us in it,� LIU coach Jim Ferry said.

Wisseh, a senior guard and two-time All-NEC selection, scored 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, went 8-of-10 at the free-throw line, grabbed four rebounds, handed out four assists and picked up a steal in 36 spectacular minutes before more than 4,000 fans at Carnessecca Arena.

And Ferry wasn’t the only one to notice Wisseh’s yeoman effort.

“You got to give him a lot of credit,� said St. John’s junior guard D.J. Kennedy. “He controlled the game. But we have to work on containing him. We needed to player better defense as a team on him. He is a great player. We have to give him a lot of credit. Today was his game.�

But it wasn’t the Blackbirds’ night.

Junior David Hicks (10 points) was the only other LIU player to score in double figures as the Blackbirds (0-1) shot 38 percent from the field and got out-rebounded, 43-32.

To his credit, Wisseh nearly pulled LIU back into serious contention in the second half, shaving a 14-point halftime deficit in half before the Storm pulled away down the stretch.

“I want to give our guys a lot of credit tonight,� said Ferry, who led the Blackbirds into West Point, N.Y. last night for a showdown with non-conference rival Army. “We hung around and grinded it out.�

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