ONEONTA, N.Y. – Junior forward Erik Salo (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) posted a 23-point, 14-rebound double-double, but the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team closed out the 2021-22 season with an 81-68 loss to SUNY Oneonta on Saturday afternoon in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action at Dewar Arena.
 
Salo achieved his 23 points on efficient shooting, going 11-of-16 from the floor and draining the lone 3-point field goal attempt he took. Senior guard Marlon Todd (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) came within one point of his career high, netting 16 points. First-year guard Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y./East Rockaway) distributed a career-high six assists and came up with four steals, while Todd doled out five assists and had four steals.
 
For Oneonta, junior guard/forward Michael Ortale Jr. led the way with 27 points and 14 rebounds, while junior guard/forward Dylan Trombley scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Sophomore guard/forward Frankie Williams and graduate student guard/forward Kameron Hickey each netted 11 points.
 
The Cardinals shot 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the floor, 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from 3-point range and 75 percent (6-of-8) from the line, while the Red Dragons were 41.1 percent (30-of-73) from the field, 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from distance and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the charity stripe. Oneonta finished with a 46-35 edge in rebounds.
 
Plattsburgh State finishes its season at 2-23 overall (1-17 SUNYAC), while Oneonta rises to 17-8 overall (13-5 SUNYAC) with the win. The Red Dragons own the No. 2 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament and will face the winner of the first-round game between SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Brockport in the semifinals on Friday, Feb. 25, at 5:30 p.m.
 
Oneonta jumped out to an early lead, and a 3-pointer by Hickey pinned the home team to a 23-10 cushion just eight minutes into the contest. The two teams traded baskets until a 13-0 Plattsburgh State run gave the Cardinals a 35-34 advantage. Todd scored the final five points of the surge, and his 3-pointer handed the Cardinals the lead with 1:35 left in the first half. Plattsburgh State and Oneonta continued to exchange points, and a 3-pointer by Ortale Jr. put the Red Dragons on top, 40-37, heading into the locker rooms.
 
Trombley and Todd each made 3-pointers in the opening 2:20 of the second half before a 9-2 Oneonta surge put the home team in front by double digits. The momentum seesawed back and forth the remainder of the contest, and Oneonta took its largest lead of the afternoon (13 points) when Williams made a layup with 41 seconds left.
 
It marked the final collegiate game for Todd, senior forward Kyle Cary (Selkirk, N.Y./Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk) and junior center Cameron Ness (Clintondale, N.Y./Highland). Todd graduates as the last remaining player from the 2018-19 Cardinal team that went 20-7 overall (14-4 SUNYAC) and qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament as an at-large selection.