POTSDAM, N.Y.—After clinching its first SUNYAC Playoff berth in seven seasons, the sixth seeded SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (13-12, 9-9 SUNYAC) heads to the third-seeded College at Brockport on Tuesday night. The first round matchup tips off at 7 p.m.
 
In just his third season, head coach Jim Bechtel has guided the Bears back to the postseason. After winning just two games two years ago, Potsdam improved to 11 last year and 13 in 2018-19. The baker's dozen are the most victories by a Bears squad since the 2005-06 campaign.
 
Potsdam's success this season is owed to the play of its upperclassmen. Senior guard Dante Langley (Schuylerville, N.Y./Schuylerville), who was third team All-SUNYAC last year, leads the team with a career-high 14.5 points-per-game as well as grabbing 5.0 rebounds-per-game. Senior guard Nosa Onabor (Brooklyn, N.Y./Northside Charter) is also having a career year, averaging 13.6 ppg. and 5.1 rpg. The duo have each surmounted the 1,000-point plateau this season. Junior guard Jayquan Thomas (Hollis, N.Y./Richmond Hill) is scoring a personal-best 13.0 ppg. and grabbing 3.9 boards as well as leading the team in steals with 53. Junior guard Danny Delsol-Lowry (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) has overcome injury to put together a career-year of 12.2 ppg., 4.5 rpg. and 51 steals. Senior Serigne Kane (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooklyn Prep) is scoring a career-high 9.6 ppg. and leading the team in rebounding at 5.7 rpg.
 
Junior center Kristoff Saunders (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) gives the Bears an inside force and junior guard Aaron Armstrong (Lisbon, N.Y./Madrid-Waddington) is a key component in Potsdam's defensive success. Sophomores Dante Viskovich (Massena, N.Y./Massena) and Colby Simpson (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) have given the Bears energy and clutch shooting off the bench all season. Seniors Tanner Stone (Schroon Lake, N.Y./Schroon Lake) and Andrew Hoag (Hoosick Falls, N.Y./Hoosick Falls) sophomore Nana Annorh (LeFrak City, N.Y./Newtown) and freshman Isaiah Joseph (Harlem, N.Y./Izquierdo Health and Science Charter) have come off the bench to fulfill whatever role they have been asked to play on a day-to-day basis.
 
The Golden Eagles boast the third best offense in the SUNYAC, scoring 80.6 ppg. Junior forward Justin Summers (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bushwick Campus) leads Brockport's attack with 17.9 ppg., the third leading scorer in the conference, and is second on the teasm in rebounding at 8.6 rpg. Sophomore guard Devante Hagins (Rochester, N.Y./Leadership Academy for Young Men) is averaging 12.5 ppg. and leading the team in rebounding at 8.8 rpg. Fellow sophomore guard Jahidi Wallace (Troy, N.Y./Lansingburgh) is scoring 9.9 ppg. and senior guard Chris Atkinson (Hempstead, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) rounds out the Eagle's leaders with 9.0 ppg.
 
The teams have split their two meetings this season. At Brockport on Dec. 8, the Golden Eagles built a 15 point lead at halftime and captured a 78-63 victory despite being matched point-for-point in the second half. Thomas led the Bears with 19 points, while Delsol-Lowry and Onabor had 11 and 10, respectively. Langley and Kane each hauled in 10 boards. Summers had a huge game for the hosts with 23 points and 18 rebounds. Hagins scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Brockport outrebounded the Bears 44-34.
 
It was a different story in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium on Jan. 26. Potsdam used several bursts to open up a 36-28 halftime advantage, but Brockport battled back to take a second half lead. However, the Bears used clutch shooting and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in the closing minutes to claim the 78-71 win, their first win over the Golden Eagles in eight seasons. Langley led the Bears with 21 points and eight boards. Onabor finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Delsol-Lowry scored 12 and Thomas finished with 11, while Kane contributed 10 points and eight boards. Potsdam won the rebounding battle 54-37. Summers had 20 points and eight rebounds for Brockport. Freshman guard Danny Ashley (Uniondale, N.Y./Uniondale) scored 12 points and senior guard Josh Nelson (Jamestown, N.Y./Frewsburg) and sophomore guard Antonio Alvarez (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) had 10 apiece.
 
The last postseason meeting between the teams was the 2004 SUNYAC Championship game, an 84-76 Bears victory. Potsdam has won 12 SUNYAC Championships in men's basketball.
 
Tickets for the contest are $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and free for students attending SUNYAC schools with school ID. Fans that can't attend tomorrow night's action can watch it all here: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/Brockport/.