FIGHTING TIGERS BEAT MIDDLESEX 72-69 IN NJCAA QUARTERFINALS

The “Big Dance” continues for the SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball team as the Fighting Tigers defeated Middlesex Community College from Edison, NJ last night by a 72-69 margin in the quarterfinal round of the 2008 NJCAA Division III National Championship Tournament hosted by SUNY Delhi in Delhi, NY. The Fighting Tigers now advance to the NJCAA “Final Four”for the second in program history and improve to 26-6 overall on the year while the Colts who had entered the contest ranked second in the NJCAA Division III National Poll dropped to 27-4 overall.

In a game that saw the Fighting Tigers turn the ball over an uncharacteristic 30 times and featured 13 lead changes things once again came down to the final minute of play for Cobleskill. Senior point guard Harley Fuller, Gloversville, NY, Broadalbin-Perth High School, hit an eight-foot driving runner from the left side of the key over a pair of Colt defenders to give Cobleskill a 70-69 lead with 38.5 seconds remaining in regulation. Middlesex hurried the ball up court looking to go inside to center Antwan Brinson, who finished with 24 points on the night, when freshman reserve center Rodrick Ford Jr., Chestnut Ridge, NY, Spring Valley High School, stole the entry pass and made an outlet to freshman guard Matt Williams, Mt. Kisco, NY, Fox Lane High School, who dribbled away from the defense getting fouled with only 24.1 seconds left. After Williams split a pair of free throws giving Cobleskill a 71-69 lead, the Colts once again went inside and after three missed shot opportunities senior guard Manuel Perrotte was fouled while shooting. Perrotte missed his first attempt after which Middlesex deliberately missed the second shot hoping for a rebound put-back basket but came up instead with a violation for not hitting the rim which gave Cobleskill the ball back with 5.9 seconds left to play.

After senior guard Darryl Burns Jr., Brooklyn, NY, High School of Art & Design, was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, with 4.0 seconds left; the veteran split the free throws, giving the Orange & Black a 72-69 lead. On their last possession the Colts final disparate 25-footer by Manuel Perrotte rimed out giving the Fighting Tigers entry the tournament’s semifinals and the “Final Four”.

“We are definitely right now with all due respect to the Beatles on a ‘Magical Mystery Tour’”, said a jubilant Fighting Tiger Head Coach Kevin McCarthy. “We certainly didn’t win very stylishly with 30 turnovers but when it mattered we protected the ball and made key free throws which proved to be the difference tonight. Now we’ve got to play Joliet Junior College who are extremely talented and well coached. It does not get any easier at this point of the season but it is nice to still be in the hunt.”

Stanley Francois posted a double/double with 15 points and 13 rebounds in the contest while freshman guard Nyquan Bellamy, Poughkeepsie, NY, Poughkeepsie High School, also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points on the evening.

Cobleskill also demonstrated its trademark balanced attack as: Harley Fuller had nine points, four assists and four rebounds, Matt Williams had nine points, four rebounds and two assists, freshman guard Michael Knight, Spring Valley, NY, Spring Valley High School, had nine points, four rebounds and two assists and Darryl Burns Jr. added eight points on the night. Rodrick Ford also played a major role in the win off the Fighting Tiger bench with six points, to go with career highs in rebounds with seven, steals with four and blocked shots with two.

The Fighting Tigers will next meet the nation’s number eighth ranked team the Wolves of Joliet Junior College on Friday March 14th in the tournament’s semifinal round beginning at 8:00 PM.

TIGER NOTES: The victory was the Fighting Tigers third consecutive win over a nationally ranked opponent having previously defeated number one ranked Hudson Valley Community College, 86-79, and number six ranked Herkimer Community College, 77-75, in the NJCAA Region III Division III Championship Tournament. The Fighting Tigers out rebounded the taller Colts by a 51-41 margin on the evening. This is Cobleskill’s third national appearance under the direction of Head Coach Kevin McCarthy and their first “Final Four” appearance since 1998 when they defeated Roxbury Community College from Roxbury Crossing, MA by a 79-69 margin in the tournament’s quarterfinals. All nine of the Cobleskill players who appeared in the contest scored.