Cobleskill, N.Y.: After an extended winter break due to health and safety concerns the SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team opened the 2022 portion of their schedule on Sunday by out battling the visiting Mariners of Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) by a 93-90 tally in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action. With the victory the Fighting Tigers are now 2-11 overall on the season including a 1-3 mark in league action while the Mariners are now 2-10 overall with a 1-3 mark in conference play.

The Fighting Tigers took a 46-39 lead into the locker room at halftime and extended it to 82-67 with 7:51 left in regulation on jumper by junior forward Justin Feldman, Chester, N.Y., Chester High School/Orange Community College. However, the Mariners made a furious comeback tying the contest at 90-90 with 46 seconds left to play when first-year guard Markus Ramirez, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sand Creek High School, nailed a short jumper in the paint.  

Cobleskill reclaimed the lead for good with 19 seconds remaining when first-year swingman Ja'Nyve Smith, Albany, N.Y., Bishop Gibbons High School, converted a lay-up on a pocket pass from junior forward Naphtali Regilus, Roselle, N.J., Abraham Clark High School/Essex Community College, which they then extended after a defensive stop and a free throw from senior point guard Mike McCoy, Charlotte, N.C., Statesville Christian High School, with 6.6 seconds left.

After the time-out, MMA had to go the length of the court off a dead ball situation against the Cobleskill defense which forced first-year guard Carter Rubin, Littleton, Colo., Chatfield Senior High School, into a long three-point effort which was off the mark as time expired giving the home team the victory and ending a five-game losing streak.

The Fighting Tigers received several exceptional all-around efforts in the win as Naphtali Regilus filled the stat sheet with a game high of 20 points to go with eight assists, six rebounds and a key steal while Justin Feldman pumped in 18 points, passed out four assists and grabbed three rebounds on the afternoon. Senior forward Juwan Malone, Brooklyn, N.Y., Brooklyn Collegiate High School/Fulton Montgomery Community College, continued his strong play with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots supported by junior swingman Kevin Cadet, Roselle, N.J., Roselle High School, who posted a double/double in his season debut with 14 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

Ja'Nyve Smith contributed big in a reserve role with 12 points and four rebounds with Mike McKoy scoring eight points and passing out four assists in the win.  
 
The Orange & Black will return to action on Tuesday evening when they host the Trailblazers from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in non-league action beginning at 7:00 p.m. Due to local health and safety protocols no spectators are being allowed at Fighting Tiger home contest until further notice. Home games are being live-streamed via the Fighting Tiger Sports Network at: https://fightingtigers.cobleskill.edu/sports/2017/9/1/The%20Fighting%20Tiger%20Sports%20Network.aspx.