Utica, N.Y. — The SUNY Poly men's basketball team earned a hard-fought conference victory on Friday night, using a strong first half and timely plays down the stretch to secure a 73–63 win over the Elmira College Soaring Eagles. The Wildcats are now 13-3 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SUNY Poly set the tone early with defensive pressure and efficiency in the paint. After Elmira struck first, Anthony Rose got the Wildcats on the board with a layup, sparking an early stretch of inside scoring. Rose and Marqiis Samuels connected on several early actions, while SUNY Poly forced turnovers and turned them into transition opportunities.
The Wildcats began to separate midway through the half behind strong perimeter shooting and ball movement. William Scanlon knocked down multiple three-pointers, including back-to-back makes that stretched the lead, while Rose continued to attack the rim and convert at the free-throw line. SUNY Poly's defense limited Elmira's clean looks, with key blocks from Alec Bartone, Brian Bonin, and Maddox Hughey anchoring the paint.
As the half progressed, SUNY Poly maintained control through depth and balance. Kamryn Comstock added a powerful dunk, Oumaru Hydara contributed inside and as a facilitator, and Rose capped the half with another three-pointer in the final minutes. The Wildcats went into the locker room with a 43–27 advantage after an assertive first 20 minutes.
Elmira came out aggressive in the second half, trimming the deficit behind interior scoring and perimeter shots. SUNY Poly answered each run with poise. Bonin scored early in the half, Scanlon buried a fastbreak three, and Rose continued to make an impact on both ends, converting steals into fastbreak free throws.
Midway through the half, SUNY Poly rebuilt its cushion with strong interior play. Bonin finished through contact, Hydara scored on consecutive possessions — including a fastbreak layup — and Bartone threw down a dunk to push the lead back to double digits. Defensive stops and rebounding proved critical as Elmira continued to battle.
Down the stretch, the Wildcats closed the game at the free-throw line and with timely baskets. Comstock finished a layup off a Samuels assist, while Samuels calmly converted multiple free throws in the final minute to seal the outcome. SUNY Poly held firm defensively in the closing seconds to secure the 73–63 league win.
"Great to get another league win tonight," said head coach Rob Schoener. "We guarded well for long stretches and did a great job in our zone offense in the first half. We've still got a lot to improve on moving forward."
