Randolph Center, VT - The Vermont State University Lyndon men's basketball team started fast, then held off Vermont State University Johnson to capture their first win of the season, 82-78, on day two of the Vermont State University Tip-Off Classic, hosted by Vermont State University Randolph. The Hornets evened their record at 1-1, while the Badgers fell to 0-2. VTSU Randolph captured the tournament championship with a 75-70 double overtime win over Framingham State University in the championship game.
Lyndon started fast, scoring on their first four possessions on four consecutive layups from Chad Martin (Henniker, NH), Victor Kukta Reyes (Fitchburg, MA), and two from Gregory Gonyea Jr. (Dolgeville, NY) to grab a quick 8-0 advantage. Matthew Carter got to the basket and scored to break the Lyndon run, but the Hornets were able to maintain their cushion.
Lyndon build their biggest lead of the opening half when Kukta Reyes got to the basket and scored, giving the Hornets a 33-22 lead with 5:56 remaining in the opening half. As the Hornets got themselves in a bit of foul trouble late in the half, Johnson began to chip away at the lead. When Lukas Sward connected on a three-pointer with less than three seconds to go in the half, the Badgers found themselves within three points at the break, the closest that they had been since the opening minute.
Lyndon was able to gradually regain control in the opening minutes of the second half. When Kukta Reyes connected from distance the Lyndon lead was again back to double figures at 50-40 with 15:33 to go. However Johnson answered with a 12-2 run of their own to tie the game at 52-52 with 11:11 to go. Wesley McIntyre (Troy, NY) answered with a three-pointer of his own to put the Hornets back in front. The Hornets maintained a slim advantage for the next few minutes, before Carter again tied it at 58-58 with 8:19 remaining.
After a McIntyre basket put the Hornets in front again, Sward connected from long range to give Johnson their first lead at 61-60 with 7:04 to go. the Badger lead was short lived, as Gonyea converted from three-point range following Martin's offensive rebound and kick out, putting the Hornets back up by two. After Carter again tied things, a Gonyea driving layup put the Hornets up 65-63, and the Hornets were able to extend the advantage to 74-68 following a Kukta Reyes layup with 2:48 to go.
Johnson responded with a quick 6-0 run, aided by a pair of Hornet turnovers, and after back to back dunks from Jamar Callum and Raymond Baka, the game was tied at 74-74 with just under two minutes to go.
McIntyre' tip-in basket on the next Lyndon possession made it 76-74 Lyndon, but Carter scored on the other end to make it 76-76 with 43 seconds to go. McIntyre again came through for the Hornets, draining a three-pointer to make it 79-76 with 29 seconds to go. After Callum was fouled and made one of two on the next Badger possession, Brett Roy (Newport, VT) was fouled. Roy converted one of two free throws and the Hornets again led by three with 10 seconds to go.
After Carter missed a potential tying three, Callum came up with an offensive rebound and was fouled. He made the first free throw, but violated when attempting to miss the second free throw intentionally, giving the Hornets the ball back with 1.9 seconds to go. Gonyea was fouled on the inbounds pass and converted both free throws to seal the win for the Hornets.
Gonyea led all scorers with 25 points and added seven rebounds and six assists. Kukta Reyes tallied 19 points and chipped in five assists and McIntyre also reached double figures with 16 points, 13 of those coming in the second half.
Carter paced Johnson with 24 points. Callum came off the bench to score 16 points and Sward added 13 points. Baka finished with a double double of 12 points and ten rebounds and David Greer also pulled down ten boards.
Lyndon will again be on the road next weekend when they travel to the State University of New York at Morrisville for the SUNY Morrisville Tournament. The Hornets will take on the host Mustangs at 5:30 pm on Saturday in the first round. That game will be followed by a matchup between Manhattanville University and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Saturday's winners will meet for the tournament championship next Sunday at 3:00 pm. That game will be preceded by a 1:00 pm consolation game.
