Onondaga Community College to host 2nd Annual Basketball Classic this weekend

Lazers look to defend title against strong field.

SYRACUSE, NY. – December 11, 2008 – Onondaga Community College will host the 2nd annual Onondaga Community College Classic basketball tournament this weekend. The tournament opens with semi-finals on Saturday evening, and concludes with the championship and consolation games on Sunday afternoon. Onondaga will face Lehigh Carbon Community College in Saturday’s first semi-final, tipping off at 5:00 pm. Fashion Institute of Technology will face Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in the 7:00 pm nightcap. Saturday’s winners will face off in the championship game on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm, while the losers meet in a 12:00 noon consolation contest.

Onondaga will enter the tournament with an overall record of 4-6, coming off of three road losses last week at Mohawk Valley Community College, Clinton Community College, and North Country Community College. The Lazers are led by point guard Jason Kondra (East Syracuse-Minoa), who is averaging 15.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals through the first 10 games. Forward Matt Potter (New Berlin Unadilla Valley) is contributing 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, and ranks 6th in the nation averaging 3.0 blocked shots per contest. Onondaga is the defending Classic champion, having defeated Bunker Hill Community College and Columbia Greene Community College in the inaugural event last year.

Lehigh Carbon Community College, located in Schnecksville, PA, enters the tournament with a 9-4 record. The Cougars are members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference. Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology is located in Boston, MA. The Shockers play in Region 21 of the National Junior College Athletic Association, and have a record of 1-8. Fashion Institute of Technology, from New York City, is undefeated at 7-0, entering their game tonight against County College of Morris. The Tigers are ranked #10 in the nation in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division III rankings.

After this weekend’s Classic, Onondaga will break for final exams and the Christmas holiday season. The Lazers will be off until January 5, 2009, when they host Columbia Greene Community College.