Too many turnovers brought the Tompkins Cortland men's basketball two-game winning streak to an end Saturday as the Panthers lost at home to Mohawk Valley Community College, 74-61. The loss drops Tompkins Cortland to 2-3 on the year; Mohawk Valley is now 4-1.

The Panthers held the Hawks to just 26% shooting in the first half, but 16 turnovers kept them from capitalizing. The first twenty minutes featured 15 lead changes, with Mohawk Valley holding a 35-31 advantage at halftime.

Ball security continued to be an issue in the second half. Combined with the Hawks improving their shooting, the game slipped away from the Panthers. Mohawk Valley opened with a 15-3 run to led 50-34. A burst of six points in less than a minute brought the Panthers within 10, capped by Justin Sykes (Harlem/Lyons Community School) going coast-to-coast to make it 50-40, but Mohawk Valley responded with 10 straight to end the threat.

By the final horn, the Panthers were outscored by 13 points, 74-61, despite out-shooting the Hawks (40.4% from the floor compared to 32.1%). A total of 29 turnovers by the Panthers, along with a 21-12 advantage in offensive rebounds for the Hawks, proved to be too much to overcome.

Sykes led all scorers with 16 points. Justin Peeples (Willingboro, N.J./BCIT West) had 14 points and 7 rebounds and Deamontae Riley (Buffalo/Burgard H.S.) had a game-best 14 rebounds. Cristian Rosa (Yonkers/Lincoln H.S.) added 9 points and 4 rebounds and Devonte Cheatham (Bronx/Herbert H. Lehman H.S.) had 9 points and 7 rebounds.

Looking ahead

The Panthers have ten days before the next game, a home date with Jefferson Community College on November 30.