CONTACT: Andre Cook 518-629-7367
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, March 1, 2008
SUNY Cobleskill (24-6) used a strong second half to give the Hudson Valley men's basketball team its first defeat of the season in the semi-finals of the Region III Division III tournament held at Herkimer this afternoon. The loss ended an unbelievable record setting season for the Vikings (30-1).
The fourth-seeded Fighting Tigers shot 56 percent (30-54) from the field as they never let the top-seeded Vikings spurt away all game. It was the third meeting between the two rivals, with Hudson Valley winning the first two by scores of 89-75 at Hudson Valley in December and 110-104 in overtime at Cobleskill in February.
Hudson Valley led 43-35 at halftime. Justin Gallo (Brunswick/ Lansingburgh HS) led the way for the Vikings with 13 first-half points.
The second half saw the Vikings lead most of the game, however, they never were able to put the Fighting Tigers away. Hudson Valley led 76-73 with less than two minutes to play when the game turned on a rare call. Fighting Tigers forward Michael Knight (Spring Valley/ Spring Valley HS) hit a three-pointer at the top of the key to tie the game and on the play, Gallo was whistled for a foul for fighting through a screen. It was Gallo's fifth and final foul, thus ending his brilliant two year career. Darryl Burns Jr. (Brooklyn NY/ Arts and Design HS) made both free throws on the play. The rare five point play gave SUNY Cobleskill a 78-76 lead they would never relinquish sending them to the regional championship game.
Gallo finished the game with 23 points. He also finished his career with 1,148 points which is second on the college's all-time list. Sophomore Emanuel Mayben (Troy/ Troy HS) finished up his own record-setting season at Hudson Valley with 18 points and four assists. He finished the season with 286 assists and will leave Hudson Valley first on the all-time list. Sophomore Ryne Luce (Cohoes/ Cohoes HS) finished with 13 points, including three three-point field goals. He leaves Hudson Valley with 159 three-point field goals which is also an all-time record. Derick Faragon (Rotterdam Junction/ Schenectady HS) played brilliantly in defeat with 11 points and 16 rebounds.
SUNY COBLESKILL (86) HUDSON VALLEY (79)
Hudson Valley (79) Justin-love Smith 2-0-4, Ryne Luce 5-0-13, Justin Gallo 8-3-23, Bobby Barry 1-0-2, Datwan Hemingway 2-3-8, Emanuel Mayben 6-6-18, Derick Faragon 3-5-11. Totals 27-17-79.
SUNY Cobleskill (86) Stanley Francois 1-3-5, Harley Fuller 2-1-5, Matt Williams 1-0-2, Nyquan Bellamy 3-3-11, Gael Shungu 2-0-4, Darryl Burns Jr. 6-3-17, Anthony Armstead 7-4-18, Kyle Mitchell 1-0-2, Michael Knight 7-6-22. Totals 30-20-86.
Three point goals: Hudson Valley 8 (Luce 3, Gallo 4, Hemingway) Cobleskill 6 (Bellamy 2, Burns 2, Knight 2.)
Halftime 43-35 Hudson Valley