Oswego State Lakers men’s basketball survives a late game thriller at SUNY Plattsburgh 83-82, improving to 10-4 on the season and 6-1 in SUNYAC’s.

Brian Sortino comes up with the big performance, scoring 25 points to go with his 12 assists. Jamir Ferebee matched his season-high from Tuesday night with 19 points, draining three from downtown. Ian Schupp knocked down four three-pointers of his own in a 16-point showing.

It was a game that the Lakers looked in control of in the first half, but as expected, the Cardinals offense heated up. After trailing 44-34 in the last two minutes of the first half, Plattsburgh ended the half on a 10-0 run to tie it up 44-44.

The offense for SUNY Plattsburgh was led by Ian Howard who scored 21 points, and Eric Bryant who came up with 20 of his own.

The second half the offenses would keep up the pace, and went at each other. It was all back and forth the last three minutes, and all Sortino as well.

After a bit of a dry spell, Sortino drained a jumper to take a 76-73 lead with 2:49 remaining. Mack and Sortino would trade layups twice, which would put the score to 80-77 Lakers with 1:14 remaining.

After Mack failed to tie the game up with a missed three-point attempt, Sortino got to the line with 32 seconds remaining, and nailed one of his two attempts to make it an 81-77 lead.

Mack would answer quickly the easy way out with a slam dunk, making it a two-point game. Sortino was then fouled with 21 seconds remaining, and converted two free throws to go back up 83-79.

Eli Bryant for the Cardinals would then drain a three-pointer to make it a one point game at 83-82. After a Tyson missed free throw, the Cardinals had a chance to win, but Bryant’s shot would miss in the final seconds.

Sortino proved once again he is the teams closer, and overall has the clutch genetic in him. He scored 9 of his 25 points in the last three minutes, going 3-3 from the field, and 3-4 from the line.

This contest proved to be another tough and gritty SUNYAC game, no matter who you face in the standings. SUNY Plattsburgh drops to 6-7, and 2-5 in conference play, but have proved to be a very tough team to face.

The Oswego State Lakers stay up north to take on SUNY Potsdam tomorrow afternoon, a team that has struggled this season with 1-12 overall record, and winless in SUNYAC.

The Lakers will look once again to stay hot and avoid the upset, the game will tip-off 2pm at SUNY Potsdam.