POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Oneonta (16-8, 12-5 SUNYAC) rallied from a halftime deficit to edge the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (8-15, 6-11) 76-71 on Friday night. Senior forward
Brandon Segar Jr. (Jamaica, N.Y./Richmond Hill) scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed five boards for the Bears and junior forward
Ahamadou Sillah (Bronx, N.Y./Kipp NYC College Prep) had 21 points and six rebounds.
Oneonta scored seven of the contest's first 10 points in the first four minutes. The Bears erased the lead with an 11-0 run, punctuated by a Sillah 3-pointer at 14:04 to make it a 14-7 contest. Segar and sophomore forward
Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) also hit threes during the stretch. Oneonta answered with an 8-0 burst for a 21-16 advantage at 9:54. A three from freshman guard Elijah Castillo (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond's) gave the Red Dragons their biggest lead of the half, 24-18, at 8:44. Oneonta stayed just out in front until 1:23, when sophomore guard
Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) tied the game at 35-35 from long range. Segar scored on a layup with 42 seconds left and Potsdam led by two at the break.
Segar, Sillah, Parker and sophomore guard
MeSean Johnson (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) scored in succession to give the Bears a 45-35 lead at 15:42 to open the second half. Oneonta clawed its way back into the contest over the next five minutes. Senior guard Daniel Derice (Tampa, Fla./Wesley Chapel) scored on a fastbreak to get the Red Dragons even at 51-51 with 9:53 on the clock. Potsdam wasn't finished. Kelly and Williamson drained back-to-back threes and Johnson scored on a layup for an 8-0 run and a 58-53 Bears lead at 8:12. Oneonta continued to fight back. Castillo scored at 5:36 to give the Red Dragons a 63-62 lead and they never trailed again. A Segar free throw closed the gap to 69-67 with 2:13 remaining, but Potsdam was unable to get closer as Oneonta closed out the 76-71 victory.
Williamson finished with 13 points and Kelly added 10.
Derice led the Red Dragons with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Castillo finished with 16 as did junior guard Frankie Williams (Bronx, N.Y./Uncommon Charter).
The Bears were red hot from the floor, shooting 60.4-percent. Oneonta shot well at 48.4 and outrebounded Potsdam 37-20.
The Bears host SUNY New Paltz tomorrow at 4 p.m. for Senior Day.
