CANTON, N.Y.—Sophomore guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) scored a career-high 34 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists, but the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (2-0) held off the SUNY Potsdam women 's basketball team (1-1) 81-74 in the championship game of the SUNY Canton Kevin Fee Roos Classic. Sophomore forward Devyn Elliott (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) had 16 points and nine rebounds.
 
The teams were neck and neck to open the first quarter, but a 6-0 run by the Bears on baskets from Elliot, Hunter and freshman guard Tsai Lewis (Cortland, N.Y./Cortland) gave them a 10-6 lead at 3:56. Coast Guard quickly countered for a 13-11 advantage. The final three points in a row from Hunter gave Potsdam a 14-13 lead after 10 minutes.
 
Coast Guard began to pull away the second quarter, opening with a 16-4 run capped by a three from Zoe Riis-Fallica for a 29-18 lead at 4:57. Potsdam outscored the opposing Bears 10-8 the rest of the half, but found itself trailing 38-28 at the break. Hunter had 10 points in the second quarter and freshman guard Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) had two.
 
Coast Guard extended its lead to 47-38 midway through the third quarter. A late push got the Bears to within 58-50 after 30 minutes, but they weren't able to make up much ground. Hunter continued to lead Potsdam's charge with nine more points, while freshman forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) scored the first six Bears points of the period.
 
Potsdam charged back to take 63-62 lead on a 13-4 run over the first 3:11 of the fourth quarter. Elliott had six points during the stretch and LaFountain capped the run with a 3-pointer. However, Coast Guard answered with a 5-0 run to regain the lead and they never relinquished it. Coast Guard scored 11 of its final 14 points from the free-throw line to put the game away. Freshman guard Patience Riley (Troy, N.Y./Lansingburgh) hit a 3-pointer with five seconds remaining, but Coast Guard held on for the 81-74 win.
 
The Bears shot 44.9-percent from the floor, while holding Coast Guard to just 31.5. Coast Guard finished with a 49-43 advantage in the glass.
 
LaFountain and Howard finished with nine and six points, respectively. Lewis also six points along with five rebounds.
 
Kyra Hartman led Coast Guard with 22 points and eight boards. Jacqueline Ward scored 18 points and Annabella Farabaugh had 17.
 
Hunter was named to the all-tournament team.
 
Next, the Bears are off to Utica College for a 6 p.m. contest on Tuesday night.