Men’s and women’s basketball notch big wins at home against Potsdam
The men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams took on back-to-back visiting teams from Plattsburgh on Friday Feb. 3 and Potsdam on Saturday, Feb. 4. Women’s basketball was able to defeat the Plattsburgh Cardinals in dominant fashion, with a final score of 72-48. The Knights swept the Cardinals in all meetings this season, much like the previous season. With this win they also clinched a spot in the SUNYAC Playoffs. The men’s team unfortunately fell to the Cardinals in a nail-biting game, going all the way to overtime and wrapping up at 76-72. This was the Knights’ second loss to Plattsburgh this season.
Fortunately, there was more action the next night for both teams against the Potsdam Bears. The men entered the night in the sixth and final spot of the playoffs, with Potsdam two games behind them and the women’s team facing Potsdam as a potential first round playoff matchup for them. The first game of the day was the women’s: in the first quarter the scoring was to a minimum, with the final score at the end of the first being 8-7 with Geneseo leading.
Senior forward Lauren Romito led the team in the first with four points, and junior guard Kelly McLaughlin hit a late jumper in the opening quarter to give Geneseo the slight one-point lead. In the second quarter of play, the Knights were finally able to start to get comfortable and find their rhythm as they were able to score 23 points in the second quarter, shooting on a solid 44% from the field to have a nice lead of 12 points going into halftime. During the third quarter, the Knights were able to continue their offensive momentum and extend their lead by scoring nineteen points. Romito and junior Kerry Dennin led the way for the Knights: Dennin finished with a double-double of 17 points, and Romito contributed a double of her own with 14 points and ten boards. Geneseo finished with a total of 67 points on the night, while only allowing 43 to Potsdam in a big home win for the Knights. The women’s team is in the final stretch of their season and is looking to hold onto the three seed from the lurking Oneonta Red Dragons.
The next game was the men’s team, playing the visiting Bears, who, going into the game, were only two games behind the Knights for the final playoff spot. Upon the start of the game, Geneseo jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. After that point Geneseo had some struggles, and Potsdam was able to gain a 21-16 lead over Geneseo halfway through the opening half of play. The Knights were able to get in some defensive stops and great offensive play amounting to an 18-5 run for the Knights to gain a six-point lead. The Bears then hit a jump shot right before half to make it a six-point game with both teams going into the locker room.
To start the second half, Potsdam was able to take the momentum and go on a run of their own, taking a lead by one. Junior Cole Kattan, who leads the Knights in points per game, was able to score back-to-back baskets to gain a four-point lead for the Knights. Kattan was also clutch down the stretch for the Knights with a tough go-ahead basket to extend their lead to three points. The Knights’ defense played strong and were able to defeat the Potsdam Bears 74-70. Kattan also won SUNYAC player of the week, averaging 25 points per game along with ten rebounds per game.
The Knights now have a three-game lead and are sitting comfortably in the last playoff spot. Next weekend, the Knights play the New Paltz Hawks, who only have a one game lead on the Knights in the fifth spot; if the Knights were to win, they would move up in the standings. It was a big weekend for the men’s and women’s teams, and they move on to another significant matchup as they both play two tough opponents in New Paltz and Oneonta.