Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team made the plays down the stretch on Friday night, edging SUNY Delhi 72-67 in a tightly contested North Atlantic Conference matchup inside the Iorio Gymnasium.
Rowan Morel (Manhattan, NY) and
Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY) spearheaded the Tigers' second-half push. Morel finished with 16 points to go with seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, knocking down four triples while shooting an efficient 6-of-12 from the floor. Chung matched him with 16 points, added four assists and three rebounds, and was flawless at the line, going 8-for-8 in key moments.
Conor Holland (Marathon, NY) provided a steady presence with 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists, while
Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) chipped in 10 points, four assists, and a steal.
Fermin Fabian (Schenectady, NY) rounded out the balanced effort with eight points, three rebounds, two steals, two assists, and a block.
Cobleskill shot 44 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three, and 75 percent from the free-throw line, outpacing Delhi's efficiency across the board. The Broncos held a slight edge on the glass (39–34) and in points in the paint (38–24), but the Tigers' bench made the difference, outscoring Delhi's reserves 34-6. The game featured 18 lead changes and eight ties, with neither team leading by more than six points at any point.
The Tigers set the tone early, jumping out to a 7-2 lead behind a pull-up three from Morel. After Delhi briefly moved in front, Morel buried another triple to regain the advantage. The Broncos found a rhythm midway through the half to build a five-point lead, but Holland answered with six straight points to swing momentum back in Cobleskill's favor. Delhi closed the half strong, taking a 37-31 lead late, before free throws from Chung and
Cameron Rhode trimmed the deficit to 37-35 at the break.
The second half opened with both teams trading baskets and short-lived leads. Cobleskill created separation midway through the frame when Tanksley drilled a three to make it 52-47. Delhi responded, but the Tigers continued to attack, stretching the lead to 61-55 after another strong sequence from Tanksley. Morel connected from deep again to keep the Tigers in control as the clock wound down.
Delhi made one final push, cutting the lead to 66-63, but Chung calmly knocked down a pair at the line. After the Broncos pulled within one possession again, Fabian finished at the rim off a feed from Holland, and Chung iced the game with two more free throws in the final seconds to seal the 72-67 victory.
Up Next
The Fighting Tigers return to action on January 5, traveling to UMaine-Presque Isle for a North Atlantic Conference road matchup set for 5:30 p.m. in Presque Isle, Maine.
