Reading, Pa.: Despite several valiant comeback efforts the SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team could not out claw their hosts the Penn State Berks Nittany Lions on Sunday afternoon as the Fighting Tigers fell in overtime to their North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) rivals by an 88-86 score in overtime. The loss drops Cobleskill to 3-20 overall on the year with a 3-12 conference mark while the Nittany Lions improve to 8-14 overall on the campaign with an 8-8 record in NEAC action.

Trailing 81-79 with 26 seconds remaining in regulation, the Fighting Tigers tied the contest for the sixth time on the day when junior swingman Frank D'Esti, Vestal, N.Y., Vestal High School/Broome Community College, drove through the Nittany Lions defense for a game tying lay-up. After the home team came up short on a last possession opportunity to tie the contest the game went into overtime.

In the extra stanza the Nittany Lions broke an 86-86 tie on a lay-up by senior guard Dameon Nixon, Coatesville, Pa., Coatesville High School, with only seven second left to play giving them an 88-86 lead. Cobleskill immediately pushed the ball up the floor but D'Esti's lay-up attempt rimmed out and was knocked out of bounds with the Orange & Black retaining possession with less than one second remaining. However on the ensuing inbounds play the Fighting Tigers could not get a shot off allowing Berks to post the home court victory.

Cobleskill was led in scoring by junior swingman Brian Jackson, Bronx, N.Y., Global Enterprise Academy, who scored 16 points to go with six rebounds and by sophomore guard Malik Chambers, West Point, N.Y., James I. O'Neil High School, who also netted 16 points on the afternoon.

Junior guard Quincey Miller, Brooklyn, N.Y,, Lafayette High School/Potomac State College, turned in an outstanding effort in the loss with 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals while Frank D'Esti finished with 14 points. Senior forward Kemar Hemmings, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Poughkeepsie High School, was also a factor in the contest with nine points and a career high of 11 rebounds.

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Friday February 19^th when they travel to Aurora, N.Y. to meet the Express of Wells College in league action beginning at 5:00 p.m.