POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (12-11, 10-8 SUNYAC) will travel to the College at Brockport (17-7, 12-6) for the first round of the SUNYAC Playoffs tomorrow night. The sixth-seeded Bears will battle the third-seeded Golden Eagles at 7 p.m.
 
Sixth-year head coach Jim Bechtel and his staff of assistants Danny Delsol-Lowry '20, Eddie Cross '11, Kevin Baksh '18 and Justin Todd have guided Potsdam to its third straight postseason appearance.
 
The Bears are averaging 72.3 points-per-game this season. Junior center Tyrese Baptiste (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy II) led the Bears in scoring and rebounding with 16.2 ppg. and 12.4 rebounds-per-game. He ranks fourth and second the SUNYAC in those categories, respectively. Baptiste registered 12 double-doubles in 19 games and was a two-time conference player of the week. In his first season in Potsdam, sophomore guard Colton Huestis (Ticonderoga, N.Y./Ticonderoga) is averaging 13.0 ppg. He has proven he can be deadly accurate from long range as he did with his 27-point performance in the playoff-clinching victory at New Paltz on Saturday. The freshmen trio of forward Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) and guards MeSean Johnson (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) and Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) have all shown the poise of veterans in their play this season. Parker is averaging 10.5 ppg. and shooting .365 from 3-point range. Johnson has established himself as a playmaker already, ranking third in the conference with 4.8 assists-per-game, while also scoring 8.1 ppg. Williamson has steadily increased his offensive production down the stretch, reaching double-double digits in three of his last five contests. He is averaging 6.8 ppg.
 
Though hampered by an injury, senior forward Dante Viskovich (Massena, N.Y./Massena) has continued to provide a veteran presence and a spark off the bench. Sophomore guard Isaac Oduro Jr. (Jamaica, N.Y./Christ the King) has given the Bears flashes this season with energetic play and clutch shooting. Sophomore center Chris Becker (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George) has provided another big body inside for Potsdam and a formidable presence to spell Baptiste. Sophomore guard Brian Pod (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) has also fought his way onto the court with his hustle, intelligent play and increasingly accurate shooting. Sophomore forward Ahamadou Sillah (Bronx, N.Y./Kipp NYC College Prep) has made an immediate impact in his return to the program after a semester away. In nine games, Sillah has averaged 8.2 ppg. and 4.4 rpg.
 
The Golden Eagles have surged into postseason, winning seven of their final eight contests. Brockport is averaging 77.5 ppg. and holding its opponents to 67.9. Jahidi Wallace is leading the way with 15.5 ppg. and 5.7 rpg. Mekhi Beckett is scoring 14.4 per game and David Grady III has contributed 12.1. Antonio Alvarez is scoring 8.8 a game and Devante Hagins rounds out the leaders at 7.1.
 
The Golden Eagles swept the teams' two meetings this season. Brockport claimed a 94-73 victory at home on January 29. Wallace put up 27 points on the night and Beckett had 18. Alvarez scored 16 and Grady added 12. Parker led the Bears with 15 points, while Baptiste scored 11 and grabbed eight boards and Sillah finished with 10. In Jerry Welsh Gymnasium on February 11, Brockport held off a Potsdam second half rally for a 75-64 victory. Beckett scored 19 points, with Grady and Alvarez finishing with 16 and 13, respectively. Baptiste paced Potsdam with a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds and Johnson and Williamson each scored 13.
 
Brockport owns a 53-32 advantage in the all-time series with the Bears, including its current four-game win streak. Potsdam is 2-4 in the SUNYAC Tournament against the Golden Eagles with wins in the 1987 semifinals and the 2004 championship game. Brockport won the most recent playoff meeting in the 2020 SUNYAC Championship game.
 
Should the Bears advance to the semifinals at Oswego State on Friday night, they'd face the top-seeded and 19th-nationally ranked Lakers.
 
The Bears have qualified for the SUNYAC Playoffs 29 times since the start of the modern tournament in 1980. They own an all-time conference playoff record of 25-22. Potsdam is 8-11 in the first round, 11-6 in the semifinals and 6-5 in the championship game. The Bears have won 12 SUNYAC Championships (1963, 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987, 2004, 2005), including six tournament titles (1980, 1983, 1986, 1987, 2004, 2005).
 
Tickets for tomorrow night's game at Brockport are $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 5-12. Children four and under, and students from all SUNYAC schools (with ID), will be admitted free.
 
Fans can watch all the action at https://gobrockport.com/watch/?Live=391&type=Live and follow the live stats at https://gobrockport.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary.