COBLESKILL MEN’S B-BALL CUTS UP CLINTON 85-58 IN SEASON OPENER

“Yes, that line forms on the right, babe…Now that Macky’s back in town … Look out … old Macky is back!!” Bobby Darin, 1959

It was the type of college basketball the crowd of nearly 800 fans came to the Iorio Gymnasium on Saturday to see as the SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers opened their 2006-07 campaign in convincing fashion pounding the defending Northern Independence Conference Champion Cougars of Clinton Community College by an 85-58 margin. The game marked the return of Fighting Tiger Head Coach Kevin McCarthy to the bench after a one-year coaching sabbatical which saw Cobleskill record an 11-19 mark under interim coach Mark Rybczk.

It was a textbook Fighting Tiger attack as Cobleskill swarmed defensively with an aggressive physical style of play that has become a familiar trademark during the McCarthy era. The Fighting Tigers turned Cougar miscues into transitional opportunities and showed their trademark aggression when hitting the offensive boards to the tune of 24 offensive caroms over their worn out opponents. The hosts also showed great offensive balance with 13 players scoring in the contest.

“We extended our defensive pressure and tried to use our depth and size to wear them down,” said coach McCarthy. “As they tired out, we were able to take advantage of them and force turnovers that led to easy baskets. Overall we played unselfishly and spread things around which is something we always try to do. It’s good to be back on the bench but it’s more important to get things off to a winning start which we did today.”

From the outside freshman guard Jason Taylor, Deer Park, NY, Ossining High School, led a pack of Cobleskill double digit scorers posting a 16 points to go with three assists and three steals in the contest while on the inside freshman center/forward Jude Franck, Spring Valley, NY, Ramapo High School, notched 15 points to go with seven rebounds and three steals. Freshman guard Josh Young, Coram, NY, Longwood High School, also made an impressive debut with 12 points, four rebounds, six steals and two assists on the night.

The Fighting Tigers received strong all-round play from freshman forward Anthony Armstead, Schenectady, NY, Schenectady High School, with 11 points, six rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists and from freshman forward Stanley Francois, Valley Cottage, NY, Suffern High School, who tallied 10 points to go with 10 rebounds and three steals. Cobleskill received additional solid contributions from freshman point guard Joe McCarthy, Warwick, NY, Warwick High School, with four points, seven assists and four steals and from senior swingman Devon Moore, Brooklyn, NY, Family Academy, with five points and three rebounds on the evening.

The orange and black next takes to the road on Tuesday November 7th when they travel to Canandaigua, NY to meet the defending NJCAA Region III Division III Lakers of Finger Lakes Community College beginning at 7:00 PM.