MIDDLETOWN, PA - The Penn State Harrisburg men´s basketball team took both SUNY Cobleskill and the 2008-09 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) champions, SUNYIT, into overtime periods this weekend at the Capital Union Building.
Saturday´s matchup featured a 1-6 SUNY Cobleskill team looking to turn their early season around against the Nittany Lions coming off a four-point loss against Valley Forge Christian College this past Tuesday.
The Fighting Tigers entered halftime shooting 51.6 percent from the field, going 6-for-12 from beyond the arc and more importantly holding an eleven point lead over the hosting Nittany Lions, 43-32.
With 12:12 remaining and SUNY Cobleskill holding a ten point lead, the blue and white charged with a 15-5 run with 8:25 remaining to tie the ball game at 58. The Nittany Lions were able to grab the lead and extend it to six with 4:31 remaining, but the Fighting Tigers fought back, tying the game at 65 to send it into overtime.
In the overtime period, both teams would jockey back and forth with the blue and white taking a four point lead with 30 seconds remaining off the two made free throws from senior Cole McGuire (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita). SUNY Cobleskill´s Damon Franklin hit a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining to bring the Fighting Tigers within one, but they would fall short after a Franklin missed a layup after McGuire went one-of-two from the line.
In Sunday´s game, the Wildcats of SUNYIT came in 4-1 on the season looking to repeat their NEAC championship run and look to be on their way against Penn State Harrisburg shooting 53.3 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from behind the arc and 80 percent from the charity strip with a seven point lead at the half.
In the second half, the blue and white clawed their way to a 59-59 tie off a Kenny Stone (Philadelphia, PA/Scotland) layup assisted by Kenton Alston (Steelton, PA/Steelton-Highspire) with 12:21 remaining. With 26 seconds remaining McGuire went one-for-two from the line giving the Nittany Lions a three point lead until 2008-09 NEAC Player of the Year, David Golembiowski, drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 82-82 to send it to overtime.
In the overtime period, SUNYIT dominated going 4-for-4 from the field, 1-for-1 from behind the three-point line and 9-for-14 from the free throw line, scoring 18 points to Penn State Harrisburg´s seven, finishing with a 100-89 victory.
Freshman Steve Jones (Harrisburg, PA/Harrisburg) led the Nittany Lions averaging 20.5 points, 7 rebounds and 8 steals. Sophomore Kenton Alston averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals this weekend. Sophomore Brian Ongeri (Hershey, PA/Hershey) and freshman Jordan Gatchell (Manheim, PA/Manheim)averaged 13.5 and 12 points respectively.
Penn State Harrisburg will travel to Penn State Abington this Friday, December 11th to face off against the 1-6 Lions. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 P.M.