Men's Basketball | 12/7/2014 3:24:00 PM

Box Score
Aurora, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team closed out the 2014 portion of their schedule on an all too familiar note Sunday afternoon dropping a hard fought 54-52 road decision to host Wells College in North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) action. The loss drops the Fighting Tigers to 1-8 overall on the season including a 0-2 mark in conference play while The Express moves into the win column at 1-6 overall with a 1-2 mark versus NEAC opponents.

Fighting Tigers senior forward Mike Chapman, Brooklyn, N.Y., School for Democracy & Leadership, converted on a stick-back opportunity to give the visitors a 52-50 lead with only 40 seconds left to play in regulation. On the ensuing possession with the shot clock winding down Express freshman reserve forward Christopher Dean, Walcott, N.Y., Rose-Walcott High School, hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to give the home team a 53-52 lead with 15 seconds left to play.

After advancing the ball into the front court, Cobleskill took time out and set up a play. The ball ended up in the hands of Mike Chapman who attacked the paint drawing the Wells defense and leaving freshman guard Malik Chambers, West Point, N.Y., James I. O'Neil High School, wide open. Chambers took the pass from his senior teammate and elected to put up a three-pointer which hit iron and fell into the hands of Wells senior guard Shakeel Simmons, Brentwood, N.Y., Our Savior New American High School, who was fouled with two seconds remaining. Simmons made the first free throw and missed the second however the Fighting Tigers could not turn the offensive rebound into a shot as time ran out.

Junior center Travis Woods, Mt. Upton, N.Y., Unatego High School, led the team in scoring with 11 points to go with eight rebounds and a pair of blocked shots while Mike Chapman added 10 points and four rebounds on the afternoon. Senior guard Alexis Nunez, White Plains, N.Y., White Plains High School, scored only three points in the contest but dished out a game high nine assists for the Orange & Black.

The Fighting Tigers will return to the court after their Christmas break when they travel to Poultney, Vt. on Sunday January 11 to face the Eagles of Green Mountain College in a non-league game with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m.