FIGHTING TIGER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SHUTS DOWN CLINTON CC 53-30

The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team held visiting Clinton Community College to a scant nine points in the second half on Saturday to post an impressive 53-30 victory over the Cougars in NJCAA Region III Division III action. The Fighting Tigers are currently ranked fifth in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll with an 8-1 overall record.

After a fairly even first half, with Cobleskill leading by a score of 26-21, the Fighting Tigers stepped things up after the break outscoring the visitors by a 27 to nine margin to secure the win. The Orange & Black limited the Cougars to only 12 field goals in the game and gave the visitors only six free throw opportunities in the entire contest using superior size and quickness to frustrate Clinton throughout the stanza.

“We went to work after the Hudson Valley game on defense in practice so it was nice to see all of what we had worked on translated from the practice floor to the game court,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Josh Suttles. “I thought that the way that we mixed our defensive looks up between man and zone did a good job of keeping them confused most of the game and that on offense we were extremely effective at banging the ball down low and exploiting their lack of size.”

Freshman center Shelley Pierson, Watervliet, NY, Watervliet High School, continued to be a force in the paint for Cobleskill dominating the smaller Cougar post players to the tune of 16 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots on the afternoon. Cobleskill also received strong play from freshman guard Nicole Garzon, Bayside, NY, Benjamin Cardozo High School, who finished with six points, four assists and eight steals and from freshman swing-player Jessica Byerwalters, Coeymans Hollow, NY, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School, who added four points, five rebounds and five assists for the Fighting Tigers. Freshman forward Marie O’Malley, Oneonta, NY, Oneonta High School, also turned in a stellar performance with five assists on the afternoon.

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Thursday December 6th when they host the Raiders of Fulton-Montgomery Community College for a Mountain Valley Conference home contest beginning at 7:00 PM.