PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's basketball team nearly pulled off an improbable comeback, pulling within a possession of the Bears late in the game after trailing by as many as 22 points, but the Cardinals fell just short in an 84-80 loss to SUNY Potsdam in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opener for both teams on Tuesday night at Memorial Hall.
 
Potsdam posted a 22-point lead twice midway through the second half before Plattsburgh State began chipping away. Senior guard/forward Sheriff Conteh (Bronx, N.Y./Our Saviour Lutheran) capped off a 7-0 Cardinal surge with an old-fashioned 3-point play with 6:19 left to pull Plattsburgh State within 10, and after the two teams battled back and forth, the Cardinals made it a one-possession game with another 7-0 run.
 
Conteh hit a jumper to start the scoring spree before junior forward Erik Salo (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) capitalized on a layup with 2:18 left. While Salo missed the continuation free-throw shot, first-year guard Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y./Thomas Jefferson) snagged the offensive board and whipped a cross-court pass to first-year guard Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y./East Rockaway), who drained a trey to cut the gap to 77-74 with 2:15 remaining.
 
Potsdam's first-year guard Jeff Williamson made a layup and the Bears' first-year guard MeSean Johnson hit a pair of free throws to extend the advantage back out to seven, and the Cardinals were unable to draw any closer than four points in the final minute as the Bears escaped with the win.
 
Plattsburgh State falls to 1-5 overall (0-1 SUNYAC) with the loss and next hosts SUNY Oneonta on Friday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. Potsdam rises to 2-2 overall (1-0 SUNYAC) with the win and next entertains SUNY New Paltz on Friday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
 
The Cardinals scored the first four points of the game, with junior center Cameron Ness (Clintondale, N.Y./Highland) and sophomore guard Joe Cassiano (Islip Terrace, N.Y./East Islip) each converting on a layup. Potsdam netted five straight points to take a 5-4 lead, and the momentum seesawed back and forth before the Bears opened up an 11-point advantage following a 12-2 surge. The Bears led by as many as 13 points in the first half, but the Cardinals closed the period on a 4-0 tear, with Salo scoring with 40 seconds left and Infante beating the buzzer with a layup. Potsdam led, 38-29, at the half.
 
While the Bears scored the first four points of the second half, Plattsburgh State went on a 7-0 run, and a 3-pointer by Tabb pulled the Cardinals within seven at 43-36. Sophomore guard Colton Huestis put Potsdam in the driver's seat over the course of the next few minutes, scoring 16 points in a span of 2:38. That spurt served as the foundation for Potsdam's seemingly insurmountable lead that Plattsburgh State nearly ended up overcoming.
 
Plattsburgh State shot 40.5 percent (34-of-84) from the floor and forced Potsdam into 13 turnovers, scoring 14 points off those giveaways. Potsdam shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the field and 65.6 percent (21-of-32) from the line in addition to owning a slight 50-49 advantage in rebounds. The Cardinal reserves came up big, with Plattsburgh State holding a 35-9 edge in bench points.
 
Salo posted a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double in 31 minutes coming off the bench to lead the Cardinals, while Tabb, Ness and Conteh scored 15, 12 and 10 points, respectively. Ness completed the double-double with 10 rebounds, while Tabb distributed a career-high six assists. Junior guard Axel Rodriguez (Fajardo, Puerto Rico/New Paltz [N.Y.]) matched a career high in assists with six in 28 minutes of reserve action.
 
For Potsdam, Huestis led the way with 25 points, while junior forward Brandon Segar Jr. registered a 20-point, 17-rebound double-double. Johnson finished with a stat line of 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds.