POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Fredonia (3-8, 2-3 SUNYAC) sank their final 16 free throws, including eight straight in the final 1:06 to hold off the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (1-10, 1-3) 79-69 on Saturday afternoon. Bears senior guard Joe Estramonte (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich) was on fire in the second half, finishing with 26 points, while classmate Mitch Lamerson (Dansville, N.Y./Dansville) contributed a career-high 14 points. Sophomore forward Ian Helps (Bronx, N.Y./Greater NY Academy) had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils. Junior guard Kareem Brown (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooklyn H.S. for Law and Technology) totaled 16 for Fredonia.
 
The contest was a see-saw battle from start to finish. The Blue Devils looked to pull away early with a 10-2 run, beginning with a Brown 3-pointer at 15:52, to grab a 14-7 lead three minutes later. Potsdam countered with a 10-0 run, including eight consecutive points from Lamerson, to regain the lead at 17-14 with 7:21 left in the half. Fredonia answered with a 9-2 stretch of its own. A Brown jumper made it 23-17 at 4:19. Estramonte and freshman guard Dante Langley (Schulerville, N.Y./Schuylerville) sandwiched a layup and and a 3-pointer around a Helps bucket to get within 25-24 with 2:20 to play. The Blue Devils closed the half with seven of the final nine points for a 32-26 lead at the break.
 
A layup by Fredonia junior guard Dante Williams (Buffalo, N.Y./Hutch Tech) made it 37-28 two minutes into the final period. At 16:04, freshman guard Nosa Onabor (Brooklyn, N.Y./Northside Charter) entered the game and gave the Bears a spark off the bench. He immediately recorded a steal and then hit a jumper to begin a 20-9 run. After an Onabor layup, Estramonte drained consecutive threes. A layup from freshman forward Tyrone Adeyeye (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Benneker) capped the run, giving Potsdam a 51-46 advantage at 10:01. Just as it appeared the Bears might seize control of the contest, Fredonia shifted the momentum again, regaining the lead for good with an 8-0 stretch. A three-point play from Helps gave the Blue Devils a 61-54 lead with 5:25 remaining. Estramonte scored in the paint to get Potsdam back to within 63-62 two minutes later, but they'd get no closer. Langley hit one of two free throws to make it 71-69 with 1:27 to play, but Fredonia sank all eight chances they were given from the charity stripe as time wound down to capture the 10-point win.
 
Junior guard Kasean Jackson (Ridgewood, N.Y./Grover Cleveland) had 13 points on the day for the Blue Devils and Williams finished with 10.
 
Potsdam outshot (42.3-41.9-percent) and outrebounded (42-35) Fredonia, but the Blue Devils sank 21 of 25 free throws they earned.
 
The Bears continue their conference slate with trips to Cortland and Oswego next Friday and Saturday.