Oneonta, NY – What Lateef Johnson Jr. did this past weekend was impressive. What Lateef Johnson Jr. did against Oneonta was nothing short of spectacular as the junior college transfer had 26 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks in a 80-72 loss to the Oneonta Red Dragons Tuesday night.  

THE BASICS

• Result: Oneonta 80, SUNY Canton 72
• Location: Dewar Arena – Oneonta, NY
• Records: SUNY Canton (1-9, 0-3 SUNYAC) | Oneonta (4-5, 2-0 SUNYAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Roos made quite a statement to begin the game, going ahead 16-8 in the opening eight minutes with Malaki Smith scoring five points early.
• Oneonta got it within one, then the game remained within just a few points the rest of the half. The Red Dragons went out ahead 31-30 for their first lead since it was 2-0, but the Roos responded with a three by Tanner Sullivan and two free throws by Lateef Johnson Jr.
• SUNY Canton had a slim 36-35 advantage at the break with Lateef Johnson Jr. pacing the team with 10 points.
• SUNY Canton got out in front by as much as five to begin the second half, but the Red Dragons defense turned it up a notch and held SUNY Canton scoreless for a span of nearly five minutes. During this time, the hosts went on a 9-0 run and SUNY Canton fell behind 56-47.
• The deficit remaining within the 6–9-point range late into the game and despite Lateef Johnson Jr.'s spectacular night once again, the Roos dropped the game 80-72.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lateef Johnson Jr. scored over 2.5 times as many points as the second leading scorer. His 23 rebounds and four blocked shots were also the highest of any Roo in a game this season.
• Smith had a solid performance with 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting. Kolton Castrello had a team-best three assists to go along with six points off the bench for SUNY Canton.
• Cam LaClair on the home side had a game-high 28 points and a team high 12 rebounds. Three other Red Dragons scored in double figures, including 17 from Sean Barber off the bench.
• Shooting numbers were both at 37% on each side in the contest. Assists were slightly in favor of the Roos (14-13) and SUNY Canton had 10 steals with Oneonta only registering four. However, the Roos committed 25 fouls in the game, sending the Red Dragons to the line for 30 foul shots. Defensive glass also hurt the visitors as they allowed 19 offensive rebounds and 20 second chance points.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Roos will look to regroup with two games this weekend in their home SUNYAC opener. First up is the Plattsburgh Cardinals at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, January 9.   
   

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 23 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.