ONEONTA, N.Y. - The St. John Fisher University mens basketball team was on the road Saturday, competing against Hartwick College. After 40 minutes, the Cardinals came out on top by a final score of 77-65. Fisher ends the regular season with an overall record of 18-7 and went 14-4 in conference play. Hartwick ends their regular season with a 9-15 overall record and 8-10 in conference play.
As the first half began, Ryan Gentile was first to get on the board, hitting a three point shot assisted by Daniel Cook. Next to get on the board was Jack Foley, tallying two off a lay up assisted by Cole Thompson. Hartwick strung together a play to get their first points, but Gentile answered right back sinking a three assisted by Thompson. Matt Lettko added to the early Cardinal momentum converting on both free throw attempts. Foley got the ball down the court, finding Cook on the other end who drove hard to the basket, tallying two. With 5 minutes to go in the half, Eric Kegler recorded a steal and converted on a lay up himself giving the Cardinals their largest lead of the half, 30-19, up by 11. Hartwick chipped away at the deficit but the Cardinals managed to hang on for the remainder of the half. Connor Williams finished on a lay up with three seconds to go securing a 36-30 lead going into halftime.
The Cardinals opened up the half by going on a 14-point scoring run. Gentile led the way with eight of those points, Connor Recore with two and Thompson with four. This run brought the score to 50-30. The teams largest lead of the night with 15:22 to go. Lettko with a defensive rebound, getting the ball down to Akinlana Popoola who found Foley for an alley-oop on the other end, the score 61-46. Gentile hit his seventh three pointer of the night with 3:12 to go, bringing the Cardinals up by 17. Hartwick fought back stringing together some points to bring the score within nine points, but it was not enough. Fisher secured a 77-65 win after Recore converted on two free throw attempts as time ran out. The Cardinals come out on top after the final 20 minutes of their regular season play.
Gentile led the way with a team high of 28 points, as well as a season high for him. He added two rebounds and went 7-for-9 on his three point attempts. Cook finished with 10 points, three blocks, four assists, eight rebounds and one steal. Recore had eight points, 11 rebounds, and one assist.
Up next for the Cardinals, on Tuesday Feb. 21, they will host the First Round of the Empire 8 Championship Tournament against . They will compete against Hartwick College at 7:30pm.
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