After opening the season with a non-region game against one of the top teams in the nation, the Tompkins Cortland men's basketball team jumped into Region III play Tuesday, hosting Schenectady County Community College. The Panthers took an early lead and spent the rest of the game building and protecting that lead, finishing with a 72-56 win. The Panthers are now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in regional play. Schenectady is 0-1 overall and in region.
The lead was 17-10 after with 7:30 left in the first half after Derek Brower (Queens/Half Hollow Hills West H.S.) buried a three-pointer. The lead inched up, and after a 10-5 run to end the half the Panthers held a 36-21 advantage at the break. By the midpoint of the second half, the Panthers led by 19 at 53-34. The smallest the margin got the rest of the way was 13, and the biggest came with 4:30 left when the Panthers moved ahead 68-45.
By the final horn, ten different Panthers had scored, with a trio in double figures. Jaiden Allen (Marlboro/Marlboro H.S.) was the leader with 13 points, followed by Marven Louissaint (Brooklyn/Eramus Hall H.S.) with 12, and Devonte Henry (Brooklyn/Boys and Girls H.S.) with 11.
The Panthers hit the road for the first time this weekend, playing at Columbia-Greene Community College Saturday.