Lyndonville, VT - The Vermotn State University Lyndon men's basketball team was able to pull of an 81-80 North Atlantic Conference victory over the State University of New York at Cobleskill on Friday evening. The win ended the Hornets' eight game skid and raised their record to 5-13 overall and 2-5 in NAC play. Cobleskill fell to 4-12 on the season and 1-7 in conference.
Cobleskill held a small lead throughout most of the opening half. A basket and free throw from Jermaine Wheeler gave the Tigers their biggest lead at 32-23 with 5:49 to go in the stanze. Lyndon was able to chip away however, and Gregory Gonyea Jr's (Dolgeville, NY) three-pointer in the final minute pulled the Hornets to within 38-35 at intermission.
Cobleskill clung to a slight lead in the opening minutes of the second half, until a Tyler Bergmans (Ferrisburgh, VT) layup pulled Lyndon even at 47-47 with 15:42 to go. A Tyler Cooper (Sterling, NY) three-pointer on the next Lyndon posession gave the Hornets their first lead since the opening minutes. Cobleskill promptly answered with three of their own, this one from Brady Whipple. Two Marquay Tanksley free throws put the Tigers back in front, but threes from Gonyea and Cooper followed by a Gonyea layup and a second chance basket from Bergmans gave the Hornets their biggest lead at 60-52 with 12 minutes remaining.
Cobleskill responded, however, and went on a 10-1 run of their own to recapture the lead, 62-61, with 8:54 to go. Cobleskill was able to nurse a small lead for the next few minutes, until a Cooper three put the Hornets back in front, 72-71, with 4:25 to go. However back to back baskets from Tanksley and a pair of Wheeler free throws put the Tigers up five with just over three minutes remaining.
Cooper again came up big with another three to cut the lead to two, but Wheeler converted one of two free throws to put the lead back at three. Gonyea was then fouled and made both shots to cut the Cobleskill lead to 78-77 with 2:19 remaining. After the Hornets got a defensive stop, Bergmans was fouled and made one of two to tie the game.
Lyndon got another stop and had a chance to take the lead, but a Hornet turnover followed by a layup from Elijah Morris gave the Tigers a two-point advantage with just 45 seconds to go. Bergmans was fouled on the next trip down the court and made one of two to make it a one-point game with 27 seconds remaining. After Cobleskill missed the front of a one and one, Gonyea made a tough driving finish to give Lyndon the lead. The Hornets then got a sefensive stop on the final sewuence to come away with the win.
Gonyea had another big game in leading the Hornets. The senior captain finished with a game high 26 points on nine of 15 shooting, including three of three from behind the three-point arc. He also dished out a game high seven assists. Cooper was next in the scoring column, finishing with 18 points, including five three-pointers, and a team best eight rebounds. Bergmans and Brett Roy (Newport, VT added ten points apiece.
Tanksley led Cobleskill with 20 points and five assists. Chrischen Chung and Quanire Greene finished with 16 and 12 points respectively, while Chance Peterson pulled down a game high ten rebounds.
The Hornets return to the hardwood on Saturday afternoon when they host the State University of New York at Delhi at 3:00 pm. Saturday's game will honor the memory of former Lyndon player Ben Lyons, whose life was tragically cut short last July.
