Oneonta, NY: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team tipped off their 2024-25 campaign with a solid road victory, holding off Hartwick College, 69-65, in Oneonta on Friday night.
 
Junior guard Quanire Greene (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) led the charge with 18 points, hitting 3 of 4 from downtown and shooting 6 of 11 overall. Senior center Jermaine Wheeler (Manhattan, NY/Marist) was a force inside, shooting an efficient 9-for-10 for 18 points while pulling down four rebounds. First-year Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) came close to a double-double, contributing eight points and a team-high nine boards. Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, NY), a transfer, showed his versatility with 12 points, three assists, and two blocks.

Cobleskill's efficiency was evident in key areas, shooting 45.8% from the floor compared to Hartwick's 41.1% and capitalizing on a solid 66.7% from the free-throw line, while Hartwick managed only 54.5%. The Fighting Tigers also took better care of the ball, committing 12 turnovers to Hartwick's 17, and made the most of their paint presence, outscoring Hartwick 30-28 in the lane. Cobleskill's defense forced critical turnovers, helping secure the win down the stretch.
 
The game remained tight early, with the teams deadlocked at 11-11 after a Wheeler jumper from a feed by Morris. Cobleskill then nudged ahead, with Wheeler converting an assist from Tanksley for a 16-14 lead. Greene's trip to the line at the 8:19 mark made it 24-19, Cobleskill's largest lead of the half. A timely three by Tristian George (Mount Vernon, NY), assisted by Devin Dennard (Elmira, NY), extended the lead to seven, 30-23. Hartwick countered with a six-point spurt before a Cobleskill timeout, but a buzzer-beating layup by Rowan Morel (Manhattan, NY/Vanguard) sent the Tigers into halftime up 34-30.
 
The second half saw Cobleskill maintain a slim edge, highlighted by a Tanksley fast-break dunk at the 2:50 mark to put the Tigers up 63-57. Hartwick kept clawing back, closing to within two at 63-61 with just over a minute left. Out of a Cobleskill timeout, Tanksley's drive set up a Wheeler layup to push it to 65-61. Hartwick answered to keep it close, but with 15 seconds remaining, Greene dished it to Morris in the corner for a clutch three-pointer that sealed the 69-65 win.
 
Cobleskill will look to carry the momentum into their next game on Monday, November 11, when they face Union College at 7:30 p.m.