New Paltz Hawks Roll to 90-60 Win Over Hunter

By Monica D’Ippolito

NEW YORK — Hands stayed hot for the visiting Hawks over the hosting Hawks of Hunter Tuesday night at Hunter College Sportsplex.

The State University of New York New Paltz shot 55.7 percent (34-for-61) from the field, including 50 percent (14-for-28) from 3-point range with four different players in double-figure points to score a season-high in a 90-60 rout.

The Hawks stayed undefeated with the victory, improving to 3-0 before their seven-day hiatus leading up to their home opener Dec. 3 in the Hawk Center, while Hunter dropped to 1-5 on the year following the loss.

The hosting Hawks held a 10-point lead five minutes into the first half, but SUNY New Paltz slowly worked its way back and took its first lead midway through the period following an offensive rebound by Lucas Seyoum, which led to a bucket by freshman Isaiah Rivera to push the Hawks ahead, 24-23. They gained momentum from there and controlled the rest of the game.

Senior forward Mitchell Cumings laid down a dunk to generate more momentum for SUNY New Paltz with LaMar Matthews checking in and following immediately with a triple to extend the Hawks lead, 29-23 with eight minutes to play. Luke Van Slyke gave SUNY New Paltz its first double-digit advantage of the game after he got in on the action with a 3-ball, leading to a Hunter timeout with three minutes to go in the half.

Rivera closed the half with a steal and then swished at the buzzer to give the visiting Hawks a 13-point advantage at halftime.

SUNY New Paltz clung onto all momentum in the following 20 minutes of play with its hot hand from the field continuing. Senior captain A.J. Knight got the offense started, swishing on a fade-away 3-pointer from the corner. Fellow senior captain Dakoda Smith followed, getting a tip-in lay-in off an initial miss from the perimeter to extend the Hawks advantage to 15. Hunter finally answered with a bucket, but Smith countered with a strong drive to the basket to earn an and-1 to re-up the 15-point cushion.

Seyoum got in on the action, draining a 3-ball off a screen that ultimately ignited a 7-0 run. Seyoum instigated the following points, earning a steal on the defensive end, which led to a two from Smith with Rivera capping the run on a fast-break dunk off a dish by Smith.

Freshman Trevor Amalfitano then sealed the comfortable win for SUNY New Paltz in the final eight minutes. He officially gave his team a 20-point cushion after swishing from 3-point range with Rivera assisting on the play. After a Hunter basket, Rivera hit in the paint and Amalfitano followed with another trey to re-up the 20-point lead. The Port Washington, NY-native stayed aggressive next time down the floor, adding a pump fake at the perimeter before attacking the basket with a nice finish at the rim. Rivera brought the cushion to 25 after hitting on a 3-pointer off a find by Amalfitano leading to a Hunter timeout with seven minutes to go.

Ethan St. Lucia took his turn hitting from behind the arc, draining a 3 off a pass from brother, Sean to create a 30-point difference. A steal by Amalfitano on Hunter’s next possession led to another emphatic dunk by Rivera in transition.

The hosting Hawks broke the deficit down to 27 before Cumings hit in the paint to create an 85-56 lead for his team with Amalfitano assisting on the play. Amalfitano then grabbed the ensuing defensive board before finishing tough at the hoop one last time, getting his basket to go while earning a chance at the line for a traditional 3-point play. Cumings then put an exclamation point on the win, as he slipped inside and laid down a posterizing dunk over a Hunter defender to electrify the away crowd and bench, creating a 34-point advantage.

Freshmen duo Rivera and Amalfitano highlighted the Hawks off the bench with the former finishing with a team-high 18 points off 8-for-9 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 22 minutes, while the latter finished with 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal in 17 minutes. In all, SUNY New Paltz’s bench scored 48 points compared to just eight for the hosting Hawks.

Knight registered 17 points and a team-leading five assists with two steals in 25 minutes.

Matthews followed with 10 points in 21 minutes.