Fighting Tigers Rally Late but Fall 86-80 to Maine–Farmington

COBLESKILL – The SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball team saw its three-game home winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon, as the Tigers battled to the final minutes before dropping an 86-80 North Atlantic Conference decision to the University of Maine–Farmington inside the Iorio Gymnasium.

Cobleskill placed four players in double figures, led by Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) with 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists while shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-5 from three. Cameron Rhode (Elmira, NY) turned in a strong all-around effort with 14 points, five rebounds and a steal on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance. MJ Ford (Staten Island, NY) posted a career-high 13 points, while Emilio Nabli (Brooklyn, NY) added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. Zander Poissant (East Greenbush, NY) provided a lift off the bench with nine points and three rebounds.

Both teams shot well offensively, with Cobleskill finishing at 43.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range. Maine–Farmington connected on 48.5 percent of its shots and won the battle inside, outrebounding the Tigers 49-34 and holding a 56-38 advantage in points in the paint. The Beavers also found success in transition, outscoring Cobleskill 18-4 on the fast break. The Tigers countered with strong bench production, outscoring Farmington 28-13, while both teams finished with 14 assists.

Cobleskill opened the game with early energy, taking a 7-4 lead after a Tanksley three-pointer set up by Andrew Wright. The Tigers continued to attack as another Tanksley finish and a transition triple from Nabli pushed the lead to 15-8 with 14 minutes remaining in the first half. Maine–Farmington answered with a run to tie the game at 16-16, but newcomer Daniel Penubothula knocked down a three to give Cobleskill a brief edge. The Beavers took their first lead midway through the half and followed with an 8-0 spurt to create separation. Ford answered with five straight points to cut the deficit, but Farmington closed the half on a strong note, taking a 45-37 lead into the break.

The Tigers opened the second half looking to close the gap, as a Tanksley layup made it 47-41, but Maine–Farmington responded with a run to stretch the lead to 57-41. Cobleskill refused to fold, using a Tanksley three to spark a push that brought the Tigers within 62-55 with 11 minutes to play. After another Farmington surge, Rhode kept Cobleskill within striking distance with a jumper to make it 71–63, then followed with another bucket to cut it to 75-69 with four minutes remaining.

Cobleskill continued to chip away, as a Nabli three and a Rhode free throw trimmed the deficit to 77-73 with under three minutes left. Rhode’s hustle play in the final seconds made it a one-possession game at 83-80, but Maine–Farmington sealed the contest at the free-throw line to close out the 86-80 win.

Tigers Get Tripped Up at Home Against UMF

COBLESKILL – The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team went toe-to-toe for three quarters on Saturday evening, but a late fourth-quarter surge by the University of Maine–Farmington proved to be the difference as the Tigers fell 65–49 in North Atlantic Conference action inside the Iorio Gymnasium.

Cobleskill placed three players in double figures, led by senior Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, MA), who finished with 12 points, five rebounds and a steal while shooting an efficient 6-of-9 from the field. Jaiyla Colon (Worcester, MA) followed with 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in a strong all-around performance. Hannah Bonczkowski (Gilbertsville, NY) also reached double figures with 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Center Mady Victorin (Menands, NY) added five points, three rebounds and two blocks anchoring the interior.

Cobleskill shot 41.1 percent from the field, compared to Farmington’s 45.3 percent, but the difference came from beyond the arc, where the Beavers connected at a 46.7 percent clip while the Tigers were unable to knock down a three-pointer. Cobleskill controlled the glass, 34–32, which helped the Tigers outscore Farmington in the paint, 38–34, and in second-chance points, 11–9. The Tigers’ defense forced 16 turnovers that turned into 12 points, while bench production was nearly even, with Cobleskill holding a slim 17–18 margin.

Cobleskill came out with energy, taking an early 4–1 lead on a Ramos layup. Farmington briefly moved in front, but the Tigers closed the opening quarter strong. A jumper from Kyra Pence (Randolph, NY) trimmed the deficit late, and a Bonczkowski layup with 38 seconds remaining gave Cobleskill a 12–11 edge heading into the second.

Bonczkowski kept the momentum rolling to open the second quarter, scoring inside to spark a 6–0 run. A layup from Sydney Delisle (Mechanicville, NY) off a steal pushed the lead to 18–11, and jumpers from Kate Hadwen (Fair Haven, VT) and Ramos helped Cobleskill open its first double-digit lead at 25–15 midway through the period. Farmington answered with a push of its own, but the Tigers rebuilt the cushion behind back-to-back Ramos finishes and a pair of free throws from Kyara Triblet (Colonie, NY), taking a 31–21 advantage before settling for a 31–23 halftime lead.

The Beavers came out of the break aggressively, opening the third quarter on a 9–1 run to cut the margin to one. Bonczkowski halted the run with a layup off a Delisle assist, and buckets from Colon and Bonczkowski helped Cobleskill stay in front through much of the quarter. Farmington closed the frame on a mini run, however, taking a 41–39 lead into the fourth, its first lead since the opening quarter.

The teams traded baskets early in the final period before Farmington strung together an 8–0 run midway through the quarter to create separation. The Tigers continued to compete, but the late surge proved too much to overcome as the Beavers closed out the 65–49 conference win.