FIGHTING TIGERS TOP SUNY DELHI 73-69 IN MEN’S BASKETBALL

The latest chapter of one of the longest bitterest rivalries in New York State basketball history saw the SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers defeat the host Broncos of SUNY Delhi in Mountain Valley Conference action in Delhi, NY on Saturday. The victory runs the Cobleskill overall record to 15-3 on the year with a 5-2 mark versus conference competition. Cobleskill is currently ranked tenth in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll.

Senior guard Darryl Burns Jr., Brooklyn, NY, High School of Art & Design, led Cobleskill in scoring posting a double/double with 17 points to go with a career high of 10 rebounds and six assists. Fellow seniors point guard Harley Fuller, Gloversville, NY, Broadalbin-Perth High School, and forward Stanley Francois, Valley Cottage, NY, Suffern High School, also posted double/doubles on the day with Francois scoring 11 points and taking down 11 rebounds while Fuller scored a season high of 13 points to go with 10 assists and five rebounds.

The Fighting Tiger bench also played a major role in the win as freshman center Kyle Mitchell, Hadley, NY, Hadley-Luzerne High School, scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds on the afternoon and senior swingman Brian Ledbetter, Schenectady, NY, Schenectady High School, scored six points to go with a pair of assists. Freshman guard Nyquan Bellamy, Poughkeepsie, NY, Poughkeepsie High School, also contributed off the pines for the Orange & Black with five points on the day.

“After the tough road loss to Herkimer on Thursday night, this was an extremely important game to put in the win column,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Kevin McCarthy. “Whenever you play a game like this on the road you forget about things like records because this is a true rivalry game that has almost 85 years worth of history behind it. Now because of the scheduling we’ve got to turn around and play them on Wednesday night at our place which will not be an easy task.”

Cobleskill will return to the court on Wednesday January 30th when they close the regular season series with SUNY Delhi hosting the Broncos for a Mountain Valley Conference game beginning at 7:00 PM.

TIGER NOTES: With his 11-rebound effort, Stanley Francois has moved into ninth place on the Cobleskill all-time rebound list with 426. The three double/doubles in  the game by Harley Fuller, Darryl Burns Jr. and Stanley Francois are the first time three  players have accomplished the feat in the same  game for the Orange & Black since January 14, 2002 when: Kevin Green, Brooklyn, NY, 17 points/10 rebounds, Jermaine Calhoun, Newburgh, NY, 18 points/14 rebounds, Kris Laurenceau, Brooklyn, NY 10 points/10 rebounds and Erastus Shannon, Copiague, NY 10 points/14 rebounds each posted a double/double in an 82-55 home victory over Schenectady Community College.