A pair of free throws by Joel Davis (Watertown/Watertown H.S.) with 19.3 seconds left capped a huge game for the freshman and gave the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team a 66-65 win over Finger Lakes Community College on Wednesday. The Panthers have now won three games in a row to improve to 4-2 overall and in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Finger Lakes drops to 0-12 overall and 0-7 in the MSAC.

The lead changed hands 11 times in the first half, ending with the visiting Lakers heading to the locker room ahead 32-27. A 3-pointer in the opening seconds of the second half made the score 35-27and gave Finger Lakes what would prove to be the largest lead of the night for either team. The following 12-0 run brought the Panthers all the way back and put them in front by four at 39-35 just five minutes into the half. Over the next 13 minutes the two teams traded the lead several times until a floater in the lane by Cameron Thompson (Syracuse/Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central) put the Panthers up 64-63 with 1:35 left on the clock. The teams traded empty possessions before a pair of Finger Lakes free throws put the Lakers up 65-64 with 35 seconds left. After a timeout during the next possession, Davis drew a foul and sank both free throws to put the Panthers up 66-65 with 19.3 seconds left. Finger Lakes had time for one last chance, but a missed shot was rebounded by Davis to seal the win.

Davis finished with 18 points – including 15 in the second half – and 17 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Damari Johnson (Binghamton/Johnson City H.S.) went for 9 points and 5 rebounds, while Cristian Rosa (Yonkers/Lincoln H.S.) and Thompson each had 8 points.

Looking ahead

The Panthers hit the road this weekend, playing at North Country Community College on Saturday and at Clinton Community College on Sunday.