POTSDAM, N.Y. –The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (19-5, 14-3 SUNYAC) pulled away from the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons (17-7, 13-4 SUNYAC) on Friday night to earn a 91-83 victory. The win secures the No. 2 seed for the Bears in the upcoming SUNYAC Tournament. Freshman center Tyrese Baptiste (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy II) led the way with a career-high 28 points and 15 rebounds. Sophomore forward Isaiah Brown (Westside Queens, N.Y./Nia Prep) ended the night with 27 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks.
 
The Bears got out to a 7-0 start in the opening minutes. Baptiste started up the scoring with a layup, followed by a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Oneonta answered back with their own 7-0 run, concluded with a three from senior guard Deegan Harrison (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley). Baptiste continued to stay hot, scoring eight of the Bears next 10 points, giving them a 17-11 edge. Halfway through the period, a fast break layup by freshman forward Ahamadou Sillah (Bronx, N.Y./Kipp NYC College Prep) gave Potsdam a double-digit lead with 9:41 left. The teams battled back and forth, until the Red Dragons went on a 16-6 run, capped by a completed and-one opportunity from senior guard Ian Schultz (Clinton Park, N.Y./CBA). The Red Dragons momentarily tied the game at 38 with :35 left, but junior guard Colby Simpson (Queens, N.Y./Queens H.S. Of Teaching) knocked down a pair of free throws and then got a steal and fast break layup. On the other end, senior guard Kevin Mackin (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet) closed the half with a three. The Bears took a 42-41 lead into the locker room.
 
Baptiste opened the second half with a basket inside and Mackin knocked down another three at 17:58. Soon after, a 13-4 run helped the Bears reclaim their double-digit lead. Senior captain Aaron Armstrong (Lisbon, N.Y./Madrid-Waddington) finished the run with an offensive putback. Mackin continued his hot shooting from behind the arc, knocking down two more 3-pointers, to bring Oneonta within seven. Baptiste then got going for the Bears again, scoring eight of the team's next 12 points. At 5:47, a three from senior captain Danny Delsol-Lowry (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) gave the Bears the largest lead of the night (77-64). The Red Dragons got within six with under two minutes to play, off back-to-back layups from Mackin and Schultz. After Potsdam made one of two free throws, a three from the corner by Oneonta freshman guard Frankie Williams (Bronx, N.Y./Fannie Lou) made the score 87-83 with 24 seconds left. After Oneonta intentionally fouled, Armstrong knocked down all four free throws, clinching the 91-83 win.
 
Mackin finished with 23 points for Oneonta. Junior guard Andres Rivera (Bronx, N.Y./Walton) added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Schultz and Deegan had 13 and 12 points, respectively.
 
Armstrong added nine points and grabbed nine boards for the Bears, while Delsol-Lowry chipped in with 11.
 
As the two seed in the conference tournament, Potsdam earns a bye to the semifinals next Friday night at Brockport.
 
The Bears return to action tomorrow as they host SUNY New Paltz at 4 p.m. for Senior Day in the regular season finale.