Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team stepped out of North Atlantic Conference (NAC) play on Monday evening to post a comeback victory over the visiting Blue Knights of Mount Saint Mary College by a 76-73 margin at the Iorio Gymnasium in non-league action. With the victory the Fighting Tigers evened their record at 5-5 overall while the Blue Knights fell to 2-5 on the campaign.
 
Trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half the Fighting Tigers battled back to trail 41-35 on a three-point play by sophomore point guard Quanire Greene, Albany, N.Y., Bishop Maginn High School, to end the half.
 
In the second half Cobleskill overcame a nine-point deficit to take a 46-45 lead on a jumper by sophomore forward Chace Peterson, Troy, N.Y., Troy High School, which started a stretch that featured 11 ties and 15 lead changes.
 
Trailing 73-72 Fighting Tigers took the lead for good with 59 seconds remaining in regulation when sophomore guard Kobe Long, Rochester, N.Y., McQuaid Jesuit High School, drove baseline and scored to give the home team a 74-73 lead.
 
The Cobleskill defense then recorded a defensive stop which led to a pair of free throws by Long to make it 76-73 with 13 seconds left to play followed by another Fighting Tiger defensive stand to hold off the Blue Knights at the buzzer and secure the victory.
 
Kobe Long led the team in scoring with 23 points along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot while his backcourt partner senior guard Andre Starks, Rochester, N.Y., Fairport High School/Corning Community College, hit for 20 points to go with eight rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. Junior center Jermaine Wheeler, Manhattan, N.Y., Marist High School, was also a factor in the win with 11 points, three rebounds and a blocked shot.
 
The Orange & Black will return to NAC action on Friday December 8 when they travel to Canton, N.Y. to meet the Kangaroos of SUNY Canton with tip-off at 5:30 p.m.