Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team closed the home portion of 2023 on Wednesday evening by dropping a hard-hitting affair to the visiting Owls of Westfield State University 87-80 in non-conference play. With the defeat the Fighting Tigers are now 7-6 overall on the season while the Owls improve to 6-4 overall.
 
The Fighting Tigers trailed by as many as 13 points early in the first half before the rallying to cut the Owl advantage to 36-32 at the break in a first half that pitted Westfields size, physicality and athletic ability versus Cobleskill's speed and shooting ability.
 
The home team found themselves trailing 72-68 with 3:14 remaining in regulation when sophomore swingman Jeremy Rosario, Colonie, N.Y., Colonie High School, converted a rare four-point play to tie the score at 72-72 with 3:07 remaining to play.
 
However, that would be the as close as the Fighting Tigers would come as down the stretch the Owls went to the offensive glass to secure the contest as Westfield used a 28-to-13 advantage in second chance points to secure the victory.
 
Cobleskill received strong efforts from Jeremy Rosario who led the team in scoring with 23 points to go with five rebounds and a blocked shot, senior center Markel Jenkins, Elmira, N.Y., Elmira High School/Corning Community College, who posted a double/double with 16 points and10 rebounds and senior point guard Andre Starks, Rochester, N.Y., Fairport High School/Corning Community College, who also had a double/double with 10 points and 10 rebounds along with four assists and the evening. Sophomore guard Kobe Long, Rochester, N.Y., McQuaid Jesuit High School, was also a factor in the contest with 17 points, six rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots on the evening.
 
Cobleskill will next be in action on Saturday December 16 when they travel to Alfred, N.Y. for a non-conference meeting with the Pioneers of Alfred State College with tip-off at 3:00 p.m.