York College showed yesterday why it’s the defending CUNY Athletic Conference hoop champion – rallying for a 65-62 win over City College in the CUNYAC semifinals on CCNY’s home floor.

Top-seeded York fell behind by nine points midway through the first half as No. 4 CCNY controlled the early going.

York, which missed 10 of its first 14 shots, including several wide-open looks from beyond the 3-point arc, eventually began to make CCNY pay for double- and triple-teaming Dennis Echols and league Player of the Year Jeffrey Boone in the post.

York’s Teron Simpson (17 points, 5-of-11 on 3-pointers) nailed back-to-back treys to reduce CCNY’s lead to 18-15 with eight minutes remaining in the half.

With York gathering momentum, CCNY’s Taleek Norman (25 points) made a basket and assisted on another to bump CCNY’s lead to 29-21. A Simpson three at the buzzer made the halftime score 33-28, CCNY.

“Once we saw the triangle and two, we knew we had to knock down shots,” said Michael Salamanca, who finished with 13 points and eight assists. “That definitely helped while Jeffrey [Boone] and Dennis [Echols] were being double-teamed.”

A pair of free throws by Boone (11 points) gave York its first lead of the game, 42-40, with 14:12 left in the second half. Moments later, CCNY’s Franklin Canales flew through the lane to grab an offensive rebound and, from the ground, fired a pass to Norman, who sank a 3-pointer to put CCNY back in front, 43-42.

York then went on a 17-4 run to take a 12-point lead with 6:45 left and held off a late rally by CCNY.