(Potsdam, N.Y.)- Despite a valiant comeback at the end the SUNY Canton men's basketball team wasn't able to overcome the University of Maine at Fort Kent as they lost to the Bengals 88-82 Wednesday afternoon in Potsdam.  The Roos fell to 4-8 in the Sunrise Conference and 6-16 overall while the Bengals remained in first place in the conference at 12-2 and 19-8 overall.

SUNY Canton trailed by as much as 13 points in the second half but each time they pulled within eight points Fort Kent had an answer.  That changed with under three minutes to go.

Tony Valentin (Perth Amboy, N.J.) grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on the put back with 2:25 left that cut the lead to 85-78.  After a miss by the Bengals, Valentin was fouled and sank a pair of free throws making it 85-80.  On Fort Kent's next possession Carlton Mitchell (Bronx, N.Y.) came up with a steal and fed Valentin for a fast-break layup that pulled the Roos to within three points, 85-82.

Fort Kent missed a pair of free throw on their next possession and a tying 3-pointer from Eddie Mitchell (Syracuse, N.Y.) missed the mark and Fort Kent converted on the other end for an 87-82 lead.

Carlton Mitchell then tried a three from the wing that was blocked by Brandon Fox and Manny Odugbela sank 1 of 2 free throws to seal the victory for Fort Kent.

Fox proved to be the difference for Fort Kent in the second half as he scored 19 of his game-high 26 points in the final 20 minutes.

Although they trailed Fort Kent 49-46 at halftime SUNY Canton had led for most of the opening half, which was a shootout from three-point range.

Carlton Mitchell hit back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the half that put the Roos up 22-12.  Fort Kent then reeled off a 13-5 run to claw back within two.

SUNY Canton then put together an 8-0 run of their own several minutes later and the lead was back to 10 points at 35-25.  But Fort Kent kept firing from three-point range and hit three straight triples to slash the lead to 42-41.  Fort Kent hit two layups in the final 37 seconds for the halftime lead.

Both teams combined for 16 3-pointers in the first half.  The Roos had nine and Fort Kent had seven.

Deric Alston (Jacksonville, N.C.) led four SUNY Canton players in double figures with 21 points, three rebounds and two assists.  Alston had a pair of 3-pointers.

Valentin added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.  Tony Parker (Sodus, N.Y.) also had 15 points along with six boards.  Jajuan Williams (Jacksonville, N.C.) drilled four first-half 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and six assists.  Jeff Greneir (Whitehall, N.Y.) grabbed 10 rebounds for the Roos.

Fox also had 10 rebounds, five steals and three blocks.  Odugbela finished with 21 points and Othniel Hyliger and Jimmy Lopez each had 10.