Canton, NY – Three players on the SUNY Canton men's basketball team scored in double figures, led by
Jahdeuir Reese with 16, but the Plattsburgh Cardinals spoiled the Roos SUNYAC home opener winning 76-63 Friday night.
THE BASICS
- Result: Plattsburgh 76, SUNY Canton 63
- Location: Stan Cohen Court – Canton, NY
- Records: SUNY Canton (1-10, 0-4 SUNYAC) | Plattsburgh (6-3, 3-0 SUNYAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The game was closely contested early with both teams struggling from the field. The Roos had a 12-11 lead 10 minutes through with Reese scoring four points in this first quarter of the game.
- SUNY Canton pulled out 18-15 after two buckets by Edram Gbekou, but Plattsburgh took control with a 17-5 extended run that lasted through most of the remainder of the first half.
- After the Cardinals led 32-23 with 3:35 left to play, Eugene Johnson Jr. and Chris Nastasi combined for seven points as SUNY Canton cut into the deficit 34-30 at the break. Malaki Smith and Reese paced the Roos with six points each.
- Lateef Johnson Jr. scored on the first SUNY Canton possession of the second half to get the game within two points, but the Plattsburgh defense was bothersome, and the Roos went on a five-minute scoring drought while the Cardinals took a 44-32 advantage with 15 mintues left.
- After this, it was SUNY Canton's turn to go on a run, and the home team cut it to 46-45 with 10 minutes left to play.
- Plattsburgh got their lead as high as 11 with 3:46 remaining but struggled with the immense Roos ball pressure early in crunch time. A couple of backcourt turnovers led to transition layups, and a swipe plus a breakaway by Reese got the Roos close at 66-62 with 1:15 left to play.
- Unfortunately, though, the Roos were forced to foul and the Cardinals were able to cash in from the free throw line. SUNY Canton had some decent looks from three in the final minute, but failed to connect, and Plattsburgh went on to win 76-63.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Reese led the Roos with 16 points off 6-for-13 shooting and made all four of his free throw attempts. Lateef Johnson Jr. was right behind him at 15 and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds as well, going for his fourth straight double-double.
- Malaki Smith buried three shots from behind the three-point line and tallied 11 points and four steals in the loss. Eugene Johnson Jr. got nine points and six rebounds.
- Reem Welch, who entered tonight's game as the nation's sixth-leading scorer and is undoubtedly the early favorite for SUNYAC Player of the Year, scored 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out four assists. Khalil Screen came off the bench and put in 19 points for the Cardinals.
- Plattsburgh outshot the Roos 43% (30-70) to 33% (23-69) while both teams were a combined 6-for-40 from the three-point arc. The Cardinals also significantly outrebounded the Roos 55-40 with 24 of those being offensive rebounds.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Roos will stay home to play the Route 11 Rivalry against the Potsdam Bears tomorrow, January 10 at 4 p.m.
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