Oswego, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's basketball team earned their first win of the season in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon, defeating Mount Saint Vincent 90–64 in the consolation game of the Max Ziel Tournament. The Wildcats used a blistering first half and balanced team play on both ends to control the game from start to finish. With the win, SUNY Poly improves to 1–1 on the young season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SUNY Poly came out sharp on both ends, overcoming an early turnover to find their rhythm behind senior leadership and strong defensive pressure. After Mount Saint Vincent took a brief 2–0 lead, Brian Bonin got the Wildcats on the board with two free throws, and Anthony Rose followed with a pair of makes from the line to give Poly a 4–2 advantage.
From there, the Wildcats took control. Oumaru Hydara entered off the bench and immediately sparked a surge with a three-pointer, then added back-to-back fastbreak layups to stretch the lead to double digits. Poly's defensive intensity forced multiple Dolphins turnovers during the run, with Bonin and Alec Bartone combining for several key steals that turned into easy buckets.
The Wildcats' offense continued to roll through the midpoint of the half. Hydara hit another triple, William Scanlon connected in the lane, and Alec Bartone provided an inside boost with a put-back tip-in and layup to make it 25–10. Anthony Rose and Kamryn Comstock each added inside scores as Poly built a 49-30 lead heading into the break.
SUNY Poly didn't let up after halftime.Samuels extended the lead at the line, Hydara and Comstock continued to find success inside, and Bonin and Scanlon each added fastbreak baskets as Poly stretched the margin to 63–38 midway through the half.
The Wildcats' bench made a big impact down the stretch. Owen Dake and Bartone cleaned up the glass, with Bartone punctuating a 6–0 run with a two-handed dunk off a Hydara assist.
SUNY Poly's defense held firm, with Rose recording multiple steals and blocks, turning defense into offense. He connected on a three-pointer and a fastbreak layup in the final minutes, while Comstock added a pair of late buckets to finish with a strong second half performance.
In the closing minute, the Wildcats' reserves contributed as Jake Maendel and Elijah Smith each scored—Smith's layup off a Maddox Hughey assist sealed the 90–64 victory.
"I'm really proud of the way our guys competed today, said head coach Rob Schoener." "We competed like crazy for 40 mins and played like a very connected group."
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will hit the road once again for a matchup with the SUNY Potsdam Bears on November 11th at 5:30 P.M.
