Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team returned to action on Saturday afternoon erasing a 13-point second half deficit to defeat the visiting Kangaroos of SUNY Canton 99-92 in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) play. With the victory the Fighting Tigers are now 13-8 overall on the season with an 8-2 record in conference contests while the Kangaroos fall to 9-13 overall with a 5-6 record versus league opponents.
 
Trailing 71-58 with 10:33 remaining the Fighting Tigers began a comeback effort that saw them go on a 16-to-3 run to tie the game at 74-74 with 5:33 left in regulation on a lay-up by senior guard Andre Starks, Rochester, N.Y., Fairport High School/Corning Community College.
 
Cobleskill then took the lead for good at the 3:51 mark when sophomore guard Kobe Long, Rochester, N.Y., McQuaid Jesuit High School, broke a 76-76 tie with a long three-pointer to give the home team a 79-76 advantage from which they never looked back from as down the stretch the Fighting Tigers converted on 18-of-19 free throw attempts.
 
Andre Starks was the catalyst to the team's victory scoring a season high of 30 points on the afternoon to go with six rebounds and four assists while Kobe Long scored all 21 points in the second half, including a 10-for-10 outing at the free throw line, along with six assists, four rebounds and a blocked shot. Sophomore swingman Jeremy Rosario, Colonie, N.Y., Colonie High School, was also a factor in the win with 15 points, five rebounds and three steals.
 
The Fighting Tigers also received strong outings from senior guard Iziah Pigott, Brooklyn, N.Y., Adams Street Academy/Dutchess Community College, with eight points, five rebounds and three assists and from senior swingman Devin Dennard, Elmira, N.Y., Elmira High School/Corning Community College, who scored 12 points in a reserve role.
 
Cobleskill will return to action on Tuesday January 30 when they travel to Marcy, N.Y. for a NAC meeting with the Wildcats of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute beginning at 5:30 p.m.