Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team closed out the 2017 portion of their season on Saturday afternoon by dropping a 89-76 decision to the visiting Hawks of Hartwick College in non-conference action at the Iorio Gymnasium. With the loss the Fighting Tigers close the semester with a 4-6 overall mark while the Hawks move to 2-3 overall on the year to date.
 
The Fighting Tigers led by as many as 20-points in the first half at 40-to-20 before the Hawks cut the deficit to 46-to-37 at the half with a 17-to-6  run over the last 6:41 of the frame. In the second stanza the Cobleskill offense went cold connecting on only 11-of-34 field goal attempts, 32.4%, including 4-or-17, 23.5%, from three- point range, while the Hawks heated up hitting on 21-of-35, 60.0%, from the floor including 7-of-15, 46.7% from three-point range to outscore their hosts 52-to-30 in the half and secure the road victory.
 
The Fighting Tigers received team highs of 17 points and five assists from senior swingman Joel Costello, Middleburgh, N.Y., Middleburgh High School/Onondaga Community College, with senior guard Malik Chambers, West Point, N.Y., James I. O'Neil High School, scoring 16 points and senior forward Christian Cooper, Gilboa, N.Y., Gilboa-Conesville High School, scoring 16 points to go with nine rebounds on the afternoon.  
 
Cobleskill will return to action over after the holidays when they host the Dutchmen of Union College in non-conference play on Monday January 8^th at the Iorio Gymnasium with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m.