The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team opens its 78th season on November 11 against SUNY Poly in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium. The campaign is the 10th with head coach Jim Bechtel at the helm. It's also the 10th season with associate coach Eddie Cross '11 on the bench. Assistants Kevin Baksh '17 and Austin Brooks are back. Mara Vaccaro joins the staff after serving in the same capacity for Clarkson University's women's team last season.
 
Just five of the roster's 13 players are back. Potsdam adds two transfers and six freshmen.
 
Junior guards Ethan Baksh (Queens, N.Y./Richmond Hill) and Matthew Szymanski (New York, N.Y./Brooklyn Tech) are the returning upperclassmen and will serve as captains this year. Baksh played in 16 contests last winter, averaging 3.9 points-per-game and 2.8 rebounds-per-game in 14.4 minutes-per-game. He contributed eight steals and 14 assists. Szymanski didn't see action last year but played in 10 games as a freshman. The sophomore class consists of Mike Hancock guard/forward (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley), guard Bryson Brown (New York, N.Y./Mercersburg Academy) and guard Timothy Hardy (Portsmouth, Va./Ocean Lakes). Hancock played in all 25 contests in 2024-25 and started 10. He averaged 5.2 ppg. and 2.9 rpg. He posted 13 steals and 16 assists. Brown started eight contests, while playing in each contest. He scored 2.6 ppg and grabbed 1.5 rpg. and was third on the team with 25 steals. Hardy joined the team mid-season a year ago and saw time in five games.
 
Senior guard Jaylen Singh (Mufreesboro, Tenn./Rockvale) joins the team after transferring from Penn State Hazleton of the USCAA. He played in nine games for Nittany Lions last winter. Junior guard Yoav Cohen (Ramat Gan, Israel/American International) comes to Potsdam from Lackawanna College of the NJCAA. He played 11 games and started one with the Falcons a year ago.
 
Of the six freshmen on the team, Batualp Ozen (Ankara, Turkey/Furtah Prep) makes the longest trek. The 6-8, 240 lb. center is a native of Ankara, Turkey. In high school he was an all-star, all-region and all-state. Forward Joseph Decker (Fair Haven, N.Y./Red Creek) brings his 6-6 height and was the 2024-25 Wayne County Player of the Year as well as all-league and All-Greater Rochester Area. Guard Jadon Watts (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) was a two-time MVP at Queens High School of Teaching. Guard Bobby Kemokai (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) was all-state honorable mention and team MVP at Plattsburgh High School. Brushton-Moira graduate and forward Landon Cox (Dickinson Center, N.Y./Brushton-Moira) used his 6-6 frame to earn second team All-Northern honors for the Panthers last season. Guard Connor Bastedo (Marietta, N.Y./Tully) joins the Bears after breaking the Tully High School scoring record.
 
Potsdam will play seven nonconference contests in 2025-26. After hosting the Wildcats next Tuesday, they head to Hamilton College a week later on November 18. The Bears then travel to Pittsburgh for the Chatham University Classic. They take on the host Cougars on November 21 and Geneva College the following afternoon. Potsdam hosts crosstown rival Clarkson University on November 25 and heads to Utica University on December 2. The Bears wrap up their nonconference slate on December 13 at Keystone College. They kick off their 18-game SUNYAC schedule at home against Buffalo State on December 5 and SUNY Fredonia on December 6.
 
See the Bears full schedule here.
 
Follow the live statistics for season opener against SUNY Poly here.
 
Watch the season opener against SUNY Poly here.