For the second straight day, the Panthers men's basketball team rallied back from a double-digit first half deficit to pull out a Region 3 victory. On Sunday, SUNY Adirondack led by 11 in the first half before the Panthers used a big second half to win 66-62. Tompkins Cortland is now 4-1 overall and 4-0 in Region 3. Adirondack is 2-1 overall and in region.

For the first time this season, the Panthers never led in the first half. The Timberwolves ran out early to a 18-7 lead and kept in front the rest of the half, with the teams going to the locker room with Adirondack in front 36-29. The deficit was erased quickly when the Panthers went on an 11-2 run to open the second half, taking the lead for the first time on a put back by Kobe Nwosu (Spring Valley/North Rockland H.S.) less than three minutes into the half. The teams would trade the lead over the next 10 minutes, moving ahead for good on a layup by Kaleb Nutifafa (Elmsford/Alexander Hamilton H.S.) with 7:10 left to go. The lead inched forward over the next few minutes, peaking at seven points with three minutes left. Despite some shaky free-throw shooting, it never got closer than a two-possession game the rest of the way.

Javonte Long (Harlem/Clayton H.S.) once again the led the team in scoring, finishing with 21 points while also grabbing 6 rebounds. Nwosu had a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds and Marqiis Samuels (Long Island/The Patrick School) scored 9 points, all in the second half, while pulling down 9 rebounds. 

Looking ahead

The Panthers head back on the road Saturday, travelling to Saranac Lake to take on North Country Community College.