PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Despite a career-high 27 points from sophomore guard Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y./East Rockaway), the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team fell to New Paltz 86-81 in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play. With the loss and a win from Geneseo, the team was officially eliminated from contention in the SUNYAC playoffs beginning this coming Tuesday. 

Infante poured in his career-high 27 in a variety of ways, but mainly with a career-high five triples, with some big shots late that kept the Cards in the game down the stretch. Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y./Thomas Jefferson) added 17 points and five rebounds with Erik Salo (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) dropping 15 points and matching a career-high with 16 rebounds, which he set nearly a year ago, against New Paltz on Feb. 18, 2022. Salo also added a season-high five assists in the loss. Rylan Blondo had a team-high 20 points for New Paltz, while Sean St. Lucia added 14 points and 13 assists. 

New Paltz shot the ball extremely well to earn the hard-fought win at a packed Memorial Hall, as they shot 46.9% from the floor and 42.9% from deep, including an 85% mark from the free throw line. Plattsburgh was nearly as good, shooting 41.3% from the field and 70.6% from the line, as they earned 19 second-chance points throughout the game to hang with the hot-shooting Hawks. 

Plattsburgh falls to 10-14 (6-11 SUNYAC) with the loss and is now officially eliminated from SUNYAC playoff contention, as they would have needed Geneseo to lose both their games if Plattsburgh were to get in with a loss this weekend. The team will now look towards their matchup with Oneonta tomorrow, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m., as Sheriff Conteh (Bronx, N.Y./Our Saviour Lutheran), Myles Jones (Alexandria, Va./Blue Ridge School), and Salo will be honored before the start of the game. New Paltz improves to 12-12 (10-7 SUNYAC) with the win and will look to tune themselves up for the playoffs with a matchup at Potsdam tomorrow, Feb. 18. 

The game was a hard-fought battle between the two teams, as the game was within a couple of possessions for its majority. Infante started the game with a three-point make to give the Card the early lead, which they held through the first seven minutes of action. After tying the game at 16, New Paltz took their first lead at the 12:42 mark before Plattsburgh regained the advantage at the 5:52 mark with a Salo layup. The Cards then pushed their lead to what would be their largest advantage, as Sasha Vidrini (Trieste, Italy/LiceoRogazionisti) hit a step-back jump that had the crowd in a frenzy. New Paltz, however, would respond strongly, rattling off a 12-3 run to go up 40-38 heading into the break. 

A quick burst from the Hawks out of the locker room made it seem like they had begun to swing the momentum all into their favor, as they lead by seven within the first minute. After tying the game at 47, Conteh knocked down a jumper to put the Cards up two points at the 15:45 mark, which would end being Plattsburgh's last lead. The Hawks then went on their biggest run of the game, outscoring the Cardinals 18-6 over a seven-plus minute stretch. The Cards would not go down easily, as Infante and Plattsburgh clawed their way back into the game, finally coming back within a possession at the 3:51 mark after two Salo free throws. Over the final three minutes, Infante twice hit three-pointers that pulled Plattsburgh back into the game when it looked like the Hawks were finally pulling away. The sophomore hit a huge shot at the 52-second mark, pulling the Cards within three points. After a gigantic stop, forcing a shot-clock violation, the Cardinals were able to get a three-point look with about six seconds left, but the shot would not fall. New Paltz secured the rebound and knocked down both free throws with three seconds to go, securing the 86-81 win.