WILLIMANTIC, CT. – The Oswego state men’s basketball team has continued their success from last year with a big tournament win this past weekend The Lakers traveled to Eastern Connecticut for the Tip-Off Tournament on Friday where they first faced the Hobart statesman. Oswego started the game by establishing a 6 point lead late in the first half of play with the help of their solid defensive performance. Hobart would then go on a run and erase the lead, eventually getting a three point lead of their own with 2:42 in the first half. Oswego was not be able to erase the deficit in a very low scoring half and allowed Hobart to hold a 30-25 lead going into halftime.
Oswego would come out alot stronger in the second half and put on an impressive offensive performance. The Lakers would erase a nine-point second half deficit and turn it into a their highest lead of the game by 16 points,. The Lakers ended up winning 65-53 to win game one of their weekend. Oswego would shoot 50% from the field in the second half, converting 17 of 34 field goal attempts and shot 40% from 3pt range, hitting 6 of 15 3-pt field goal attempts. Ahkee Anderson lead the way for the Lakers by scoring 15 points and overall shooting 50% from the field. Jeremiah Sparks led the team in rebounds with 8 and brought the Lakers to the championship Saturday.
The Lakers team faced Eastern Connecticut State Warriors in a back and forth matchup for the championship game of the Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday afternoon. Oswego would come out on fire in the first half shooting lights out with an outstanding 46.4% (13/28) on field goal attempts. But the Lakers couldn’t get the 3pt shots to fall shooting only 20% (2/10) from beyond the arc. The Lakers played some tough defense on the Warriors holding them to only 28.6% on their field goal attempts in the first. Oswego then established a 16 point lead late in the first. However, the Warriors would rally and end the half on a 11-0 run, hitting three consecutive 3-pt shots. Oswego went into halftime leading 32-27 going into halftime. Jamal Achille led the Lakers with 9 points in the first half. New Laker Cartier Bowman lead Oswego on the glass with 7 rebounds and Devin Green and Ahkee Anderson would each add 2 assists going on half.
The Warriors defense in the second half would give them the advantage in the half, causing many Oswego turnovers to start. Oswego would then go ahead and build another double-digit lead early in the half, and the Warriors would go on another 11 point run to give them a 46-45 lead. Despite their struggles offensively early, Oswego would then hit several clutch free throws late to help push them over the Warriors. Oswego would win the tournament in a 60-50 victory over the Warriors. Ahkee Anderson lead the Lakers with 21 points,3 assists and 2 steals. Jeremiah Sparks recorded his first double-double of the season scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Three Oswego players made the all tournament team with Ahkee Anderson, Jeremiah Sparks and Cartier Bowman making the team. With this win on Saturday, Coach Jason Leone also becomes the winningest coach in Oswego State Basketball History passing Kevin Broderick who coached the Lakers from 1996 until 2009 with a 209-150 record. Leone now stands at the very top of the record book with a 210-78 record in his twelfth year as the Lakers’ Head Men’s Basketball Coach.
IMAGE COURTESY OF OSWEGO ATHLETICS