CONTACT: R. Sean Coffey, (518) 629-7898, r.coffey@hvcc.edu
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010
The Hudson Valley Community College men's basketball team (13-6) made key free throws down the stretch to beat Fulton-Montgomery Community College (8-12), 69-66, on Thursday, Jan. 28.
The first half included both sides getting off to slow starts and each team shooting under 40% for the half. Ramel Alexander (Berkshire, Albany) did score 12 of his team-high 21 points in the first half to give Hudson Valley a 31-28 lead at the break. The Vikings never trailed throughout the entire second half of the contest. The Raiders did tie the game at 39-39 with 15:10 remaining. The Vikings answered with an 8-0 run that was capped off by a Wayne Washington (East Ridge, Rochester) jumper making the score 47-39 with 13:08 to go. Fulton-Montgomery slowly chipped away at the lead, but was fouled on a lay-up with a chance to tie the game with the ensuing free throw with 3:05 on the clock. After the Raider miss, Anthony Robustiano (Mohonasen, Schenectady) was fouled on his way to the basket and put to the line where he made two free throws, extending the lead to 63-60 with less than two minutes to play. Fulton-Montgomery answered with a bucket and Robustiano was once again fouled and put on the charity stripe with 53 seconds left and made two more free throws. Robustiano, fouled for a third time, connected on his fifth and sixth straight made free throws with 32 seconds left, pushing Viking lead back to three, 67-64. Fulton-Montgomery then rushed the ball up the floor and took a tough shot in the lane that was tipped back in by the Raiders to cut the Hudson Valley lead to one again. Next, Alexander was fouled and it was now his turn to shoot free throws which he did successfully with 19 seconds remaining. After an empty Fulton-Montgomery possession and two missed Viking free throws, the Raiders had to go the full length of the floor with 0:1.5 on the clock, down 69-66. The Raiders completed a pass to half court where a shot was heaved as the buzzer sounded and the ball caromed off the glass and the rim giving the Vikings the 69-66 victory.
Other notable contributor's were Carlos Pellot-Rivera (Carmel, Carmel) and Matt Harte (Lansingburgh, Troy) who both had 12 points. Pellot-Rivera added eight rebounds and Harte had four steals. Robustiano finished the night with 15 points including eight-for-eight from the foul line.
The men will next host Ulster County Community College on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m.