Cobleskill Pulls Away Early in 73–53 NAC Win Over Maine Maritime

COBLESKILL – The SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball team set the tone early and never looked back, using a strong first half to cruise past Maine Maritime Academy, 73-53, in North Atlantic Conference action Friday night inside the Iorio Gymnasium.

Emilio Nabli (Brooklyn, NY) led the Tigers with a game-high 16 points, adding three assists while shooting an efficient 6-of-12 from the floor. Cobleskill showcased its depth with three players finishing with nine points apiece. Andrew Wright (Berne, NY) chipped in nine points and eight rebounds, going 3-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 at the free-throw line. In his first game as a Fighting Tiger, Daniel Penubothula (Valley Stream, NY) made an immediate impact off the bench with nine points, five rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal in just 14 minutes, shooting 4-of-7 from the field and 1-of-1 from three. Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) added nine points, three rebounds, three blocks, two steals and an assist, while Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY) finished with eight points. Conor Holland (Marathon, NY) and Cameron Rhode (Elmira, NY) each added seven points, with Holland adding four assists and four rebounds and Rhode with seven rebounds.

Cobleskill shot 40.3 percent from the field, nearly identical to Maine Maritime’s 40.4 percent, but the Tigers created separation with advantages from beyond the arc and at the line. Cobleskill finished 25.9 percent from three and an efficient 80 percent at the free-throw line, while the Mariners shot 11.1 percent from deep and 50 percent at the stripe. The Tigers controlled the glass, 47-31, including a 16-6 edge in offensive rebounds that led to an 18-0 advantage in second-chance points. Cobleskill’s defensive pressure forced 16 turnovers, turning them into 14 points, and the Tigers’ bench played a major role, outscoring Maine Maritime 33-15.

The Tigers fell behind early, 6-2, but quickly flipped the momentum with a 9-0 run highlighted by three-pointers from Rhode and Holland. Cobleskill continued to build separation, opening its first double-digit lead midway through the half after Penubothula scored five straight points, capped by a putback layup to make it 21-10. After trading baskets, the Tigers clamped down defensively and used an 8-2 run to extend the lead to 33-18, punctuated by a strong and-one finish from Tanksley. Cobleskill closed the half on a six-point spurt, fueled by four points from MJ Ford, to take a commanding 41-23 lead into the locker room.

Cobleskill carried its momentum into the second half, pushing the lead to 49-29 after a pair of free throws from Ford and a thunderous dunk from Tanksley. Maine Maritime briefly trimmed the margin to 55-40, but the Tigers shut the door with back-to-back three-pointers from Nabli and Chung to stretch the lead to 61-40 with under nine minutes to play. A jumper from Holland and a dunk from Rhode kept Cobleskill firmly in control as the Tigers closed out the 73-53 victory.

Tigers Fall Late to Maine Maritime in NAC Action

COBLESKILL – The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team was locked in a defensive battle through the first half, but Maine Maritime Academy pulled away after halftime to hand the Tigers a 58-39 North Atlantic Conference setback Friday night in the Iorio Gymnasium.

Hannah Bonczkowski (Gilbertsville, NY) led Cobleskill with 10 points and four rebounds, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Jaiyla Colon (Worcester, MA) turned in an all-around effort with eight points, nine rebounds, a block and a steal while shooting 4-of-9 from the field. Kyara Triblet (Colonie, NY) provided a spark off the bench with seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, MA) also finished with seven points to go along with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

In a physical, defense-first contest that featured five lead changes, Cobleskill shot 23 percent from the field compared to Maine Maritime’s 31.7 percent. Both teams were nearly even from beyond the arc, with the Tigers shooting 25 percent and the Mariners 26.9 percent. Maine Maritime held a rebounding edge, 48-40, which led to a 14-4 advantage in second-chance points. Cobleskill’s bench outscored the visitors 28-12, and both teams finished with six steals and 12 points off turnovers.

Cobleskill opened the game with early energy, taking a 4-2 lead behind two pull-up jumpers from Colon. Maine Maritime answered with an 8-0 run to take a 10-4 advantage in a tightly contested first quarter. Free throws from Mady Victorin and Kate Hadwen helped the Tigers trim the deficit late, as Cobleskill trailed 10-6 after one.

Victorin opened the second quarter with a turnaround finish inside, and the Tigers continued to grind on the defensive end. Trailing 15-10, Cobleskill put together a 6-0 run sparked by a Colon layup and capped by a Ramos finish to take a 16-15 lead with under three minutes remaining. The teams traded responses down the stretch, as Ramos buried a three off a Triblet assist and Hadwen followed with a triple of her own to give Cobleskill a 22-19 edge. Maine Maritime answered in the final moments of the half, however, tying the game at 22-22 heading into the break.

The third quarter proved decisive, as the Mariners opened the half on an 18-2 run to create separation and take a 40-24 lead. Cobleskill showed resilience, clawing back into the game behind Bonczkowski, who scored eight straight points on two three-pointers and a layup to cut the deficit to 40-32. Maine Maritime regrouped late in the quarter and carried a 41-32 lead into the fourth.

Maine Maritime continued to build momentum early in the final period, using a 10-2 run over the first five minutes to extend the lead to 51-34. The Tigers continued to compete, but the early fourth-quarter push proved too much to overcome as the visitors closed out the 58-39 win.