Gators almost knock off top ranked Old Westbury, 70-69
Strong second half by the Gators almost helps squad pulloff upset of Panthers in first-ever contest in Neff.
Troy, NY---The Sage Colleges men's basketball team hosted the Panthers of SUNY Old Westbury in the first-ever men's basketball game in the Neff Athletic Center on Saturday. Senior forward Patrick Bonna (Brooklyn, NY/Abraham Lincoln) hit the game-winning shot to propel his first place Panthers past the Gators in overtime, 70-69. Old Westbury improves to 10-4 overall and 8-1 in the Skyline Conference, while Sage is now 2-11 overall and 1-8 in the league.
Bonna hit the game-winning shot with just seconds left in the first overtime period and a last second attempt by the Gators failed to hit the mark. Sage send the game to overtime on clutch free throw shooting by rookie Marcus Hunter (Ridge, NY/Longwood) with 17 second left in regulation to send the game to overtime after playing to a 66-66 tie.
In the overtime period both teams failed to hit their mark as neither team scored any points until there was just 37 seconds left in overtime. Old Westbury's senior Hakiem George (New York, NY/Life Sciences) broke the tie after hitting the second of two free throws.
Sage's rookie Alex King (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) gave his Gators a two-point lead (69-67) after hitting a three-point basket with 15 seconds left. Bonna answered with his three-point basket along the baseline in front of his bench to give his squad the win.
Old Westbury's Bonna finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, while George and junior Frantz Granjean (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) both added 16 points, while Granjean added a team-high 12 boards with four steals
For the Gators, rookie Mason Horne (Albany, NY/LaSalle Institute) finished with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds to pace the team. Hunter added a double-double on 16 points with 12 rebounds, also career-high.
Matt Farbotko (Rouses Point, NY/Northeastern Clinton) added 12 points with a game-high 14 rebounds.
Sage returns to action on January 19 when they host Yeshiva University in the Kahl Campus Center at 8 p.m., while SUNY Old Westbury travels to NYU-Poly for a 7 p.m. conference game the same night.
