ONEONTA, NY – Despite trailing for all but two minutes and 13 seconds, Sage out-scored Hartwick 8-0 over the final minute and 11 seconds as the Gators shocked the Hawks 67-64 in Empire 8 Conference action Friday night at Lambros Arena.
            The Hawks led by five points, 64-59, following Pat Garey's (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) third three-pointer of the game with 1:31 left to play. Jalon Borders answered with a three for Sage 20 ticks later. 'Wick gave the ball back to Sage on an offensive foul, and Deonte Sherwood sank one of two free throws to make it a one-point game after he was put on the line with 32 seconds remaining.
            The Gators fouled and got the ball back on a missed free throw from 'Wick. Anthony Mitchell gave Sage its first lead of the night with a jumper with 13 seconds left to go in the game. Sherwood hit two more from the line after a Hawks' missed field goal and 'Wick's desperation three near the final horn was off the mark as the Gators escaped with the victory.
            The loss for the Hawks stops their three-game winning streak. They slip to 8-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. Sage improves to 8-5 and 1-1.
            Garey had the game-high with 19 points on the night. He added a game-high five assists with three steals. Austin Haskell (Kirkwood, NY/Susquehanna Valley) contributed 15 points and he tied for a team-high with eight rebounds. Bobby Connors (Rockville Centre, NY/Chaminade) had 10 points and eight boards and Kyle Bradshaw (Tinton Falls, NJ/Manasquan) recorded eight points, eight rebounds, and a game-high five steals.
            Sage received 17 points from Borders with Sherwood adding 15. The two players each had a trio of three-pointers. Stuart Phair was also in double figures with 10 points.
            Hartwick would lead by as many as 11 points, 20-9, in the first half following a layup from Nick Eiler (Highland Mills, NY/Saddle River Day) at the 8:38 mark. Sage would score 12 of the next 15 points to cut its deficit to just two, 23-21, just over three minutes later. The Hawks would get the advantage back up to seven at the 1:24 mark before the Gators got the final basket of the half and 'Wick entered halftime up five, 32-27.
            Haskell had nine points to pace Hartwick after 20 minutes with Connors adding seven and Garey contributing six. Sage's Borders led all scorers with 11.
            The two teams were separated by four points or less for the first six minutes of the second half. A 13-2 run for the Hawks, however, handed them their biggest lead of the night, 50-37, with 9:58 remaining. Garey would convert eight points in the run to go along with a nice dish to Liam Drennan (Oyster Bay, NY/Chaminade) for a dunk.
            The Gators produced three-pointers on four of their next five possessions as they cut the Hartwick lead to just four at the under-six minute mark. They tied it for the first time in 13 minutes at 3:28 on a Charles Davis dunk. The Hawks answered with a Haskell layup and then a Garey trey with 91 seconds left to open up a 64-59 lead. Borders' three at 1:11 triggered the late 8-0 run to lift the Gators to the win.
             Hartwick made 43.3% (26-for-60) of its shots on the night. The Hawks hit nine three-pointers. Sage was slightly better from the floor, hitting 45.6% (26-for-57). The Gators controlled the glass by a margin of 42-31. They would grab 15 offensive boards which they turned into 22 second-chance points.

            Hartwick hosts Utica in another Empire 8 matchup tomorrow. The Hawks and Pioneers tip in Lambros Arena at 2 p.m.

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