The season opened with a bang for the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team as the Panthers went on the road and beat #15-ranked Onondaga Community College, 86-80. The win, the first for Tompkins Cortland at Onondaga since 2005, puts the Panthers at 1-0 overall and in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Onondaga is now 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference.

The game was back-and-forth to start, with the Panthers closing out the first half with a 42-39 advantage. The lead grew in the second half, with the Panthers sealing the victory at the free throw line late in the game.

Sophomore Michael Sinclair (Brooklyn/Erasmus Hall H.S.) led Tompkins Cortland with 19 points, with freshman Joel Davis (Watertown/Watertown H.S.) one back with 18 points. Makai Reed (Syracuse/Syracuse Academy of Science) came in with 11 in his debut.

Looking ahead

The Panthers play at Cayuga Community College on Saturday.