A game of big runs ended with the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team on the wrong side of the final score, losing at home to Onondaga Community College 80-73. The loss drops the Panthers to 7-12 overall and 3-7 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Onondaga improves to 17-7 overall and 8-2 in the MSAC.
It was Sophomore Night on Wednesday, with the Panthers recognizing Shareef Ali (Queens/Martin Van Buren H.S.) and Omari Lane (Newburgh/Newburgh Free Academy) prior to the game. Once the game was underway, the Panthers and Lazers went back and forth for the first eight minutes before a three-pointer by Derek Brower (Queens/Half Hollow Hills West H.S.) sparked an 18-2 run that put the Panthers up 29-15 with seven minutes left in the half. The lead peaked at 15 points, but the Lazers fought back with a run of their own, outscoring the Panthers 19-10 over the final 6:30 of the half to make it a five-point game at the half.
The home team held onto the lead for the first six minutes of the second half, but Onondaga caught up, and then moved ahead 51-49 with 13:00 left in the half. Another three-pointer by Brower gave the Panthers back the lead, but the Lazers responded with ten-straight points to lead 61-52 just past the midpoint of the half. The margin grew to a peak of 13 points at 71-58 with 7:13 left, but Tompkins Cortland managed one final rally in the closing minutes. Trailing 77-65 with 4:00 left on the clock, the Panthers scored eight straight to pull within 77-73 with 1:10 left. After a missed shot by the Lazers, the Panthers turned the ball over and were forced to foul. Onondaga made three of four from the line in the closing seconds to seal the win.
Brower led all scorers with 20 points, including 12 on four 3-pointers and another half dozen on a perfect six-for-six from the foul line. Jaiden Allen (Marlboro/Marlboro H.S.) scored 13 points and had 7 rebounds and 5 assists before fouling out. Garrick Averett (Hempstead/Hempstead H.S.) posted 11 points and Ja Don Crooms (Brooklyn/Boys and Girls H.S.) had a team-best 12 boards before he also fouled out.