SUNY Cobleskill Defeats Delhi

[Ford Scores 38 Points]

DELHI – SUNY Cobleskill freshman MJ Ford put together a performance for the ages on Saturday afternoon, pouring in a freshman program-record 38 points to lift the SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech men’s basketball team to a thrilling 97-88 double-overtime comeback win over rival Delhi.

Ford (Staten Island, NY) was simply unstoppable, scoring a freshman program-record 38 points while adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals. He attacked all three levels, finishing 12-of-20 from the field, 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, and 11-of-13 at the free-throw line, repeatedly delivering in the game’s biggest moments. Conor Holland (Marathon, NY) followed with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal, shooting 4-of-7 from the floor and 7-of-9 at the line. Senior Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY) added 15 points and two rebounds, while Emilio Nabli (Brooklyn, NY) chipped in 10 points off the bench. Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) rounded out the effort with eight points, five rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

Cobleskill shot 41.7 percent from the field compared to Delhi’s 43.8 percent, but the Tigers created separation with efficiency from the stripe and bench production. Cobleskill finished 77.6 percent at the free-throw line and 34.6 percent from three, while Delhi shot 52 percent from the line and 21.7 percent from deep. The Broncos held a slight rebounding edge, 46-43, but the Tigers’ bench was the difference, outscoring Delhi 53-12. Both teams scored 10 second-chance points, while the Tigers forced 19 turnovers in a high-energy, physical contest.

Delhi opened the game with early momentum, but a Tanksley three and a Holland layup trimmed the deficit to 6-5. Turnovers allowed the Broncos to build separation, as a 15-4 run pushed the lead to 30-16 midway through the first half. Ford kept Cobleskill within reach with timely buckets, including a late three, and Nabli knocked down a pair of free throws in the final minute as the Tigers headed into halftime trailing 42-29.

Cobleskill ramped up the defensive pressure coming out of the break, quickly cutting into the lead. A Holland steal led to Ford free throws, and another Holland finish brought the Tigers within six for the first time since the opening minutes. Ford continued to shoulder the offense, knocking down a pull-up three and finishing through contact to keep Cobleskill within striking distance. The Tigers continued to chip away, and a Ford and-one made it a five-point game with under 10 minutes to play.

In the closing minutes of regulation, Ford took over. A midrange jumper, a pair of free throws, and a hustle sequence capped by back-to-back steals helped erase the deficit. Chung finished one of those steals at the rim to tie the game at 77-77. Cobleskill had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but the game headed to overtime.

Holland’s free throws gave Cobleskill its first lead of the game in the extra session, and despite a late Delhi three, Ford buried a deep triple with 11 seconds remaining to force a second overtime, tying the game at 82-82.

The second overtime belonged entirely to Ford. The freshman scored eight straight points to open the period, including two highlight and-one finishes, pushing the Tigers in front for good. Cobleskill iced the game at the free-throw line to complete the comeback and secure the 97-88 victory.