Hawks Close Regular Season with 94-90 Win

By Monica D’Ippolito

POTSDAM – The State University of New York New Paltz closed out the regular season with a 94-90 win over hosting Potsdam Saturday.

The Hawks finished the regular season at 13-12 overall and 11-7 in the SUNYAC, already having had clinched the No. 4 seed and quarterfinal hosting duties following an exciting buzzer-beater win – thanks to senior LaMar Matthews – the night prior in Plattsburgh.

SUNY New Paltz woke up Saturday and delivered one of its highest scoring games of the season, as the team shot 42 percent from the field on 78 shots, including nearly 36 percent from 3-point range on 10-for-28 from the perimeter.

Matthews was the catalyst, finishing with a game-high 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting with seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 37 minutes. Trevor Amalfitano followed, as he backed up a career-high 33-point performance against the Cardinals with a 21-point outing Saturday against the Bears. He shot efficiently, making 6-for-10 from the field, scoring 9-for-12 from the foul line with nine rebounds and two blocks in 27 minutes. Isaiah Rivera and Mo Sylla followed, as they combined for 26 points and 10 rebounds with Thomas Keane adding six points, five rebounds and a team-high six assists.

Rivera re-took the lead for the Hawks midway through the first half following a steal from Justin Noelizaire with Rivera finishing on the other end of the floor for two. The play ignited a 13-2 run, capped by an Amalfitano bucket in transition with Oumar Sy credited on the dish to bring the SUNY New Paltz lead to 31-20 with more than nine minutes to go in the period.

Potsdam climbed back to re-take the lead, but it was short-lived as Keane drilled a 3-pointer thanks to an offensive board and kick-out by Sylla to push the Hawks back in front, 34-32. SUNY New Paltz hung onto the lead from there with Keane adding another point in the final seconds to bring his team a 47-40 advantage at the break.

A high-scoring second half ensued with the Bears registering 50 points on 44 percent from the floor, but the Hawks answered points with points, and they never relinquished the lead.

The margin widened to as many as 13 twice in the second half, including with less than two minutes left following a good lay by Matthews with 1:38 left and again on two made free throws from Amalfitano 40 seconds later. The Hawks then made enough from the foul line down the stretch to keep Potsdam at bay and come away with the win.