The Oswego State Lakers defeated The College of Brockport Golden Eagles 55-50 in the SUNYAC championship to win the conference title for a second time in three years. 

The Lakers came out victorious in a hard-fought game where the Lakers had to crawl from behind for a majority of the game. The Lakers and Golden Eagles played through a grit-and-grind type of game, with the Lakers having a rough night shooting from the three-point line and from the field altogether. It is very rare that a team shoots less than 27 percent from the three-point line and less than 37 percent from the field and come out with a win. The Lakers somehow did just that to grab the SUNYAC championship.

The Golden Eagles came out in attack mode catching the Lakers off guard for the majority of the first half. The Brockport guards Danny Ashley and Chris Atkinson both led their team scoring, contributing 14 points and 12 points respectively. The Lakers looked out of it during moments of the game, but they never stopped believing. Seniors Quinn Carey and Tyler Pierre both stepped up when they were needed the most down the stretch. Pierre ended the game with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Carey added 14 points. The main trait the team has shown according to coach Jason Leone, was resilience, and that was clearly evident in that game. The Lakers did not get their largest lead of five points until the last 12 seconds of the game, where it all mattered the most. 

Leone heaped praise on his players and their impressive play down the stretch of that game.

“Anytime you come from behind and win a game serves as a testament to the guys on this team,” Leone said. “I don’t know how, but these guys reached back and pulled out this win after playing and winning a hard-fought double-overtime game against Oneonta.”

The Lakers ended that day on the right side of the win and loss column and ultimately cut down the nets in Max Ziel, their home court. The SUNYAC championship served as a test for the Lakers as they won two games that went down to the wire. Through the double-overtime win against the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons and the come-from-behind win against the Golden Eagles, the Lakers have proven they know what it takes to win in crunch time.

When reflecting on their season so far, Leone emphasized the fact that the team deserved the SUNYAC championship due to their hard work throughout the season. 

“I was really happy seeing them celebrate and hug each other. They really deserved it,” Leone said. “They really deserved that moment of euphoria.”

Although they won the SUNYAC, their season is not over, and they have a chance to keep their season going. Through winning their conference, the Lakers have made the Div. III NCAA tournament and are now in the battle for winning the national championship. To start off the NCAA tournament, the Lakers will be playing the Salem State Vikings home at Max Ziel gym. This is the biggest stage of the Lakers’ long season. They will be playing some of the nation’s best teams in Div. III basketball and the players and coaches all want their season to keep on going. 

“Around this time of the season, it’s sometimes hard to get the players to focus in practice, but these guys are hungry and want to play well this weekend and keep their season going,” Leone said.

 The team have been riding on a four-game win streak, and with the positive vibes going around the locker room after winning the SUNYAC, it serves as no surprise that the team is eager to make their mark in the NCAA tournament. 

“We have been watching film and pretty much know what [the Vikings] like to do, but there is only so much you can tell through film,” Leone said.

The Salem State Vikings team is a very well-coached team and have been in the NCAA tournament 25 times, so they are not to be underestimated. The Lakers have also earned the chance to host their first game in the tournament at home and with a 14-2 record at home the stats lean heavily toward a win for them. The chance to host the game is more than just home court advantage according to Leone. 

“When you host these NCAA games, it’s an opportunity to bring the student athletes and the people of Oswego together,” Leone said.

Photo by Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian