QuickLinks
Top Searches
SYRACUSE, NY. – February 5, 2012 – The Onondaga Community College men’s basketball team entered yesterday’s home matchup with Corning Community College in a tie with the Red Barons for 4th place in the Mid-State Athletic Conference standings. Onondaga was also looking to avenge a 104-96 loss at Corning on January 14th. The Lazers utilized their balance and depth and came away with an 87-65 victory to raise their MSAC record to 4-4, and their overall mark to 13-11 on the season. Onondaga is now alone in 4th place in the MSAC, ½ game ahead of Finger Lakes Community College (4-5 MSAC), and a full game ahead of Corning, who fell to 3-5 in conference and 9-14 overall. Jefferson Community College and Tompkins Cortland Community College are tied atop of the conference at 6-3, with Cayuga Community College ½ game back at 5-3.
Corning held a 3-2 advantage early in yesterday’s game, when a dunk by Michael Scott (Chittenango) triggered an 11-2 Onondaga run which gave the Lazers a lead that they would never relinquish. Corning then scored 6 straight points to narrow the margin to 13-11, but the Lazers responded with a 7-0 run of their own to move back in front by 9. All 15 Lazers who dressed for the game saw action in the first half as Onondaga gradually extended its advantage. When Ian Hamm (Liverpool) connected on a three-pointer with 39 seconds to go in the first half, Onondaga had built its lead to 42-28. Corning’s Nate Acosta responded with a three of his own to make the halftime score 42-31 in Onondaga’s favor. Onondaga continued to pull away in the second half, as Corning was never able to narrow the gap into single digits and the lead grew to its final margin of 22.
Hamm topped four double figure scorers for the Lazers with 15 points and 8 rebounds in his first collegiate start. Brandon Seibt (Central Square P.V. Moore) added 13 points. Scott, also starting his first college game, recorded a double double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and added 5 blocked shots in 18 minutes of playing time. Tom Graf (Jordan-Elbridge) also reached double figures with 10 points, while point guard Jordan Prior (Cortland) handed out a team best 6 assists. Jarryd Johnson and Dewan Bohannon paced Corning with 23 and 14 points respectively. The Lazers shot 44.3% from the floor (27/61) while Corning connected on only 32.9% (25/76) of their field goal attempts. The Lazers also made 27 of 39 free throws, while the Red Barons only connected on 12 of 27 attempts from the foul line. Onondaga held a 60-38 rebounding advantage, and the Lazer bench outscored the Red Baron bench, 42-13.
Yesterday’s game was the first for Onondaga since last Saturday, when the Lazers dropped an 88-79 overtime decision at Cayuga Community College. In that game, the Lazers held a three point lead when Cayuga’s Scotty Bynum banked in an off balance three-pointer as time expired to force the extra session, where the Spartans outscored the Lazers, 9-0, to secure the victory. Jesse Gates (Liverpool) paced Onondaga with 19 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out with 57 seconds to go in regulation. Hamm added 17 second half points and Prior chipped in 15 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Dashawn Williamson paced Cayuga with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
The Lazers travel to Broome Community College for an 8:00 pm tip-off on Wednesday evening. Onondaga will then return home to face MSAC co-leader Jefferson Community College on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm.