After letting early leads slip away in two of their early-season losses, the Tompkins Cortland men's basketball team made sure to finish on Thursday, winning in convincing fashion over Fulton-Montgomery Community College, 97-79. Tompkins Cortland is now 3-4 overall and 3-3 in Region III. Fulton-Montgomery is 2-3 overall and in region.

The Panthers led from the opening tip, with Jaiden Allen (Marlboro/Marlboro H.S.) starting the scoring with a three-pointer on the first possession. Allen continued to light it up, draining five three-pointers as part of 19 points in the first half, helping the Panthers to a 49-37 lead at the break.

After pushing the lead to 16 points at 61-45, the Panthers kept the lead in double figures until Fulton-Montgomery managed to pull within nine at 73-64 with just over eight minutes left. The lead hovered around ten points before the Panthers put it away by closing the game on a 14-5 run.

Allen led an offense that featured four players scoring in double figures. The sophomore sharpshooter connected on eight three-pointers as part of a 33-point night. Devonte Henry (Brooklyn/Boys and Girls H.S.) had his second straight double-double, finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Derek Brower (Queens/Half Hollow Hills West H.S.) and Marven Louissaint (Brooklyn/Erasmus Hall H.S.) each just missed double-doubles. Brower ended up with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Louissaint had 13 points and 8 boards.

The Panthers head back out on the road, playing at Mohawk Valley Community College on Saturday.