CONTACT: Andre Cook (518) 629-7367
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Friday, February 22, 2008
The Vikings finished out the regular season Friday with a hard fought 110-104 overtime road victory in a packed house against their arch-rival SUNY Cobleskill. With the win, Hudson Valley closes the regular season with a perfect 29-0 overall record and 16-0 record in conference play.
Friday night's game marked the last regular season meeting for the Vikings and the Tigers. SUNY Cobleskill will move to four year status next year and will compete at the NCAA level.
Emanuel Mayben (Troy/ Troy HS) scored 23 of his game-high 31 points in the first half, giving the Vikings a 46-41 lead going into the locker room. The second half saw two nationally-ranked programs go back and forth with exceptional play from both teams. Mayben was in foul trouble much of the second half. Datwan Hemingway (Albany/ CBA) took over in the second half and overtime scoring 23 of his 25 after halftime.
Hudson Valley was up seven with a minute left in the game but missed free throws from the Vikings and big shots by Cobleskill allowed the score to be 94-91 with 15 seconds left. Cobleskill's Nyquan Bellamy (Poughkeepsie/ Poughkeepsie HS) made a three-pointer to tie the score. Hudson Valley's Justin- Love Smith's (Sacramento CA/ Columbia HS) desperation three-pointer was no good, and the game went to overtime.
Hemingway scored 12 of the team's 16 points in overtime. Justin Gallo (Brunswick/ Lansingburgh HS) also made several big plays down the stretch en route to a 20-point night. Ryne Luce (Cohoes/ Cohoes HS) made six three-point field goals for 18 points and Derick Faragon (Rotterdam Junction/ Schenectady HS) recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Stanley Francois (Valley Cottage/ Suffern HS) led SUNY Cobleskill (22-6 overall) with 26 points.
HUDSON VALLEY 110, SUNY COBLESKILL 104 OT
Hudson Valley (110) Justin-Love Smith 2-0-4, Ryne Luce 6-0-18, Justin Gallo 6-7-20, Datwan Hemingway 11-2-25, Emanuel Mayben 10-8-31, Derick Faragon 4-4-12. Totals 39-21-110.
Cobleskill (104) Stanley Francois 13-0-26, Daryl Burns Jr. 4-1-12. Harley Fuller 6-2-16, Nyquan Bellamy 7-0-16, Anthony Armstead 6-0-12, Mike Knight 8-5-22. Totals 44-8-104.
Three-point goals: Hudson Valley 11 (Luce 6, Gallo, Hemingway, Mayben 3.) Cobleskill 8 (Burns 3, Fuller 2, Bellamy 2, Knight).
Halftime 46-41 Hudson Valley.
