POTSDAM, N.Y.—Sophomore guard MeSean Johnson (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) scored with 11 seconds left to lift the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (9-15, 7-11 SUNYAC) over SUNY New Paltz (12-13, 10-8) 85-84 in the season finale. Sophomore guard Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) led the Bears with 21 points. Junior forward Ahamadou Sillah (Bronx, N.Y./Kipp NYC College Prep) posted a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. Senior forward Brandon Segar Jr. (Jamaica, N.Y./Richmond Hill) also had a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards and Johnson finished with 11 points.
 
The Hawks used a 13-4 run early in the contest to build a 13-7 advantage at 11:58. Potsdam answered with a 10-3 stretch, capped by a three from junior guard Colton Huestis (Ticonderoga, N.Y./Ticonderoga) for a 17-16 lead just over two minutes later. New Paltz pulled ahead as the half ticked down. A layup from junior guard Rylan Blondo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lynbrook) with 42 seconds remaining gave the Hawks a nine-point, 40-31 advantage. Sillah countered with a three-point play and a Johnson free throw had Potsdam down just five at the break.
 
New Paltz's lead expanded and contracted the entire second half, but the Hawks never trailed until the final basket. At 16:25, senior guard Brian Pod (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) hit a three to get Potsdam within 47-46. The Hawks countered with the next six points. At 11:14, senior guard Brandon Scott (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon) scored on a fastbreak to give New Paltz its biggest lead of the game, 65-54. On the brink falling too far behind, the Bears rallied with an 11-0 run and were down just 68-65 with 8:20 to play. Williamson scored seven of the points. Blondo responded with a three to double the lead again seconds later. At 5:02, sophomore forwards Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) struck from long range to close the gap to 75-73. A three-point play from Segar at 1:30 made it an 82-81 game. A Sillah layup with 50 seconds left made it 84-83. After a timeout, New Paltz missed two shots before Sillah hauled in a rebound. The Bears called timeout with 15 seconds left. Four seconds after play resumed, Johnson scored on a layup to give Potsdam the lead for good. New Paltz missed a final layup at the buzzer and Potsdam held on for win.
 
Senior forward Isaiah Bien-Aise (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury) led the Hawks with a game-high 23 points to go with 10 rebounds. Junior forward Lucas Seyoum (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) scored 16 points and Blondo finished with 11 points.
 
Potsdam controlled the glass, outrebounding the Hawks 46-35.
 
Prior to the contest, the Bears honored seniors Segar, Pod and Austin Dropkin (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) for their careers. Segar scored 592 points and grabbed 397 rebounds in 38 career contests, averaging 15.6 points-per-game and 10.4 rebounds-per-game. He also recorded 111 assists, 57 steals and 54 blocks. Pod totaled 115 points and 35 rebounds in 48 games. Dropkin saw action in 33 contests in his three seasons.