PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's basketball team won their first SUNAYC game of the 2023-24 campaign on Friday night. The Cardinals were led by Dylan Trombley (Moriah, N.Y. /Moriah) who had 18 points to pair with 10 rebounds to get his first double-double of the season. The team got offensive contributions from many players as they had six players in double figures including Trombley.

Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y. / East Rockaway) and Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) were the next leading scorers as they had 14 points and 12 points respectively.  Tim Thomas (Manhattan, N.Y. / Commonwealth Academy (Mass.)), Jeremiah Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y. / East New York Family Academy), and Sasha Vidrini (Trieste, Italy / Liceo Rogazionisti) were also a part of the offensive showing as Thomas had 11 points and both Smith and Vidrini had 10. Ankush Malhotra (Long Island, N.Y. / Upper Room Christian School) contributed to the winning effort as he had eight rebounds while Ikechukwu Ezike (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Paul Robeson), Tabb, and Thomas had four. Willard Anderson Jr. (Buffalo, N.Y. / east) led the team in assists with six.

For the Blue Devils, David Jordan led all scorers with 21 points as he made seven threes and Keenan Roberts Jr. had 20 points with five rebounds. Both Tyrese Fuller and Isaiah Youngquist had 12 points each.

The Cardinals were very efficient from the field as they shot 51.6% from the field and 39.1% from three while the Blue Devils shot a solid 45.2.% from the field and 37.9% from three.  The Cardinals lost the turnover battle 18-24 but outrebounded Fredonia 41-36. The Cardinals ultimately got the help they needed from their bench as they outscored Fredonia 41-24.

Plattsburgh State rises to 4-6 with their SUNAYC mark moving to 1-2 as they will continue SUNYAC play against Buffalo State tomorrow at 4 pm. Fredonia falls to 4-5 (1-1 SUNYAC) and will be back in action against Potsdam tomorrow at 4 pm.

The first half was competitive as Plattsburgh had the slight edge going into the half with the lead. Roberts Jr. opened the scoring in the first half with a layup followed by an Ezike layup. Both teams exchanged multiple threes as Amir Ross made one, then Thomas, David Jordan and Ezike that made the score 9-8 Cardinals with a little over 17 minutes to play. At the 14:01 mark Kai Woods made a layup that gave the Blue Devils a 14-11 lead, which was their last lead of the half. The Cardinals took the lead at the 12:18 mark as Infante made a jumper that made the score 16-14. The rest of the half saw the Cardinals extend their lead to as much as 10 as they went into halftime up 46-39.

In the second half Fredonia mounted a comeback as they outscored Plattsburgh 49-45. Jordan opened the second with a three followed by a Trombley layup that made the score 48-42 Cardinals. The Cardinals kept rolling as they extended their lead to 12 with a little over 14 minutes to play. The Blue Devils cut the lead to single digits after a three from Youngquist but Smith made an and one layup that made the score 62-50 and put the Cardinals up by 12 with a little over 11 minutes to play. After a layup from Tabb the Cardinals extended their lead to 16, which was their largest lead of the game, with a little over nine minutes to play. At the 7:05 mark the Blue Devils went on a 7-0 run that cut the lead to seven before Trombley made a three at the 5:05 mark that made the score 79-69. Jordan cut the Cardinal lead to three with a little over four minutes to play. Roberts Jr. tied the game at 81 at the 2:23 mark. Infante gave the Cardinals the lead momentarily as Jordan responded with a three that made the score 84-83 and gave the Blue Devils their first lead since the 14:01 mark in the first half. With a little over a minute left in the game Trombley made a clutch three that gave the Cardinals the lead before Roberts Jr. tied the game at 86. It was Trombley again as he made a clutch three that made the score 89-86 and would eventually be the go-ahead basket. Roberts Jr. made a layup with less than thirty seconds that cut the lead to one before Trombley found Infante for a layup that made the final score 91-88 Cardinals.