FIGHTING TIGER WOMEN TOP HERKIMER 67-63 IN MVC OPENER
The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team took to the road to post a dramatic 67-63 comeback victory over Herkimer Community College in the team’s Mountain Valley Conference opener on the Generals’ home court in Herkimer, NY. The Fighting Tigers are currently ranked twelfth in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll with a 3-0 overall record on the season including a 1-0 mark versus conference competition.
Freshman guard Nicole Garzon, Bayside, NY, Benjamin Cardozo High School, scored a career high of 20 points and picked off three steals for the Fighting Tigers while freshman center Shelley Pierson, Watervliet, NY, Watervliet High School, added a double/double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to go with a pair of blocked shots. Freshman forward Hannah Bushey, Essex, VT, Essex High School, also turned in a strong effort for the Fighting Tigers with seven points and six rebounds on the night.
Trailing by a 30-23 margin at halftime, the Fighting Tigers fell behind by 16 points with 12:14 remaining in the second half. At that point Cobleskill began to chip away at the Generals’ lead with Pierson and Garzon doing the bulk of the damage. Cobleskill took the lead for good with 2:35 remaining in regulation when Pierson powered her way to the basket to give the Orange & Black their first lead of the night at 58-57.
“The difference between the first half and the end of the second half was transition defense in that we were able to get back and guard them,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Josh Suttles. “Down the stretch we kept chipping away at their lead using our defensive pressure and our depth to wear them down. We also did a much better job of shooting free throws tonight making 14 of 19 including some very important ones at the end of the game. We beat a good basketball team tonight on the road which is always something to be happy about in our conference.”
The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Thursday November 15th when they host the Red Barons of Corning Community College as part of a men’s/women’s doubleheader with the Cobleskill women taking the floor at 5:00 PM followed by the men’s game at 7:00 PM.
TIGER NOTES: Fighting Tiger freshman forward Sharee Daniels, Poughkeepsie, NY, F.D. Roosevelt High School, is the younger sister of the University of Rhode Island’s All-Atlantic 10 performer Will Daniels. Senior forward April Ackermann, South Huntington, NY, Sullivan West High School, will rejoin the Fighting Tigers active roster after earning NJCAA First Team All-American honors for SUNY Cobleskill in women’s cross country placing second at the 2007 NJCAA Division III National Championships in Kings Park, NY on Saturday. The victory was the first by the Fighting Tigers on the Generals home floor since November 11th of 2005 when they defeated their hosts by a 64-39 margin behind 24 points and 14 rebounds from NJCAA All-American Dee Dee Smith, Monticello, NY.
