Box Score
Potsdam, NY – The SUNY Canton men's basketball team played toe to toe with host SUNY Potsdam in a back-and-forth battle but fell late, 71-69, Friday evening in the season opening contest for both squads.
SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam both held leads as large as six in the opening half. The hosts took their largest lead in the opening 20 minutes six minutes in at 12-6. Over a four minute stretch the Roos used a 13-5 run to turn a two point deficit into a six point lead at 35-29 with 2:17 left in the first half. SUNY Canton led 37-34 at the break.
Potsdam regained a one point lead in the opening minutes out of halftime but it was the Roos who used a 15-5 burst over the next five minutes to take a 52-43 lead on the scoreboard with 14 minutes remaining. Six different players scored for SUNY Canton on the run. The Bears would chip away at the lead over the next five minutes responding with an 11-2 spurt of their own to tie the contest at 54 apiece with 10 minutes to play.
In a game of runs the Roos remained calm rattling off seven straight points that included a trey from
Scott Bartenstein (Potsdam, NY), who nailed three shots from beyond the arc on the night. The Bears trimmed the lead to one with 4:20 on the clock but
Khalil Bratton (Queens, NY) hit on a pair of free throws and
Rashad Richardson (Rochester, NY) drained a jumper to regain a five point lead.
The Bears took the lead for good with 54 seconds after a Brandon Williams layup to make it 70-69. The Bears missed back-to-back free throws before Williams added one make from the charity stripe as Potsdam was able to hang on for the 71-69 victory.
Richardson led the Roos with 14 points shooting 7-for-10 from the field in 19 minutes of action.
Sam Annorh (
Queens, NY) was the only other player in double figures finishing with 12 points and a game-high five assists. The Bears had four players in double figures led by a Rob Duquette's double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Joe Estramonte (12), Zac Adams (11) and Rishawd Hendricks (10) also posted double digit points in scoring.
Potsdam held a 45-36 advantage on the glass, while the Bears turned the ball over 25 times compared to 21 for the Roos. SUNY Canton shot 44 percent from the field and 25 percent from long distance, while Potsdam made 42 percent of its field goals and just seven percent of its attempts from behind the arc. The Roos dominated bench points getting 43 points from its subs compared to just 25 for the Bears.
The men's basketball team is back in action on the second day of the North Country Invitational Saturday when it takes on Clarkson University at 1:00 p.m. Stay up to date with the latest news directly from the SUNY Canton Athletics department by "liking" us on
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About SUNY Canton
SUNY Canton offers career-driven degrees in a variety of interesting majors. The College recently expanded its facilities with a new athletic center, nicknamed Roos House, and the Grasse River Suites Residence Hall. The College's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers flexible and convenient online courses and programs. The College features 14 athletic teams and competes as a provisional member of NCAA Division III as well as the USCAA.
-www.rooathletics.com-
