PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Behind a strong performance from senior guard/forward
Ikechukwu Ezike (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Paul Robeson) the Cardinals open up their season with a win at home against Skidmore, winning 70-58. Ezike led the Cardinals in points with 15 to pair with eight rebounds and three blocks.
The Cardinals also got strong performances from senior guards
Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) and
Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y. / East Rockaway) who both were in double figures with 13 and 11 respectively. Tabb also collected three steals on the night to go with three rebounds while Infante had two steals to go with two rebounds. Junior forward
Irwayne Connell Jr. (Brooklyn, N.Y. / National Christian Academy) capped off his Plattsburgh debut with eight points and a Plattsburgh career-high six blocks. Senior guard/forward
Jeremiah Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y. / East New York Family Academy) led the way in rebounds with a team-high 10 while also contributing seven points. Junior guard
Kareem Welch (Brooklyn. N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) was the leading playmaker for the Cardinals dishing out four assists to go with four points in his Plattsburgh debut.
For the Thoroughbreds, Charlie Fantom and Aidan Roy both had 15 points to lead their team. Alexei Downie led his team in rebounds with 11 while also contributing four points. Hakeem Daphnis had nine points and four assists.
The Cardinals had a strong shooting night shooting 40.7% from the field while the Thoroughbreds shot a solid 36.4%. The rebounding battle was close as the Cardinals only had a 41-40 edge however the Cardinals won the turnover battle 11-15 registering 12 points off turnovers. The Cardinals bench contributed 20 points compared to 12 from the Thoroughbreds.
Plattsburgh State rises to 1-0 with the win and are back in action next Saturday, Nov. 16 as they travel to Vermont for a 1 p.m. tip-off against Norwich. Skidmore falls to 0-1 and are back in action on Monday, Nov. 11 as they host Regis at 7 p.m.
Both teams traded points back and forth early as a three from Ezike followed by a layup from Fantom put the Cardinals ahead 7-6 at the 14:14 mark. Both teams went on a scoring drought from the 14:14 mark until the 12:04 mark when Tabb splashed a three that made the score 10-6 Cardinals. That three from Tabb sparked a 6-0 run that ended at the 10:29 mark on a made free throw from Connell Jr. that made the score 13-6 Cardinals.
Nate Pondexter Jr. (Washington, D.C. / Archbishop Carroll) scored his first points as a Cardinal on a layup off the pass of
Sasha Vidrini (Trieste, Italy / Liceo Rogazionisti) that made the score 15-8 Cardinals. Vidrini drained a three at the 7:25 mark and put the Cardinals ahead by nine but a three from Daphnis made the score 22-16 Cardinals. A 5-0 run from the Cardinals from the 3:03 mark until the 1:47 mark extended their lead to 36-27. A buzzer beater three from Infante closed the first half as the Cardinals lead 39-29.
A layup from Jack Lagarde opened the scoring for Skidmore in the second half followed by four straight points from the Cardinals that made the score 43-31 Cardinals. A layup from Vidrini at the 13:04 mark extended the Cardinals lead to 14 however the Thoroughbreds responded with four straight points to come within 10. The Cardinals stayed consistent offensively, holding a double-digit lead until a free throw from Fantom made the score 64-55 with 2:36 remaining. The Cardinals responded with six points and made the score 70-55 extending their lead to 15 with 1:44 remaining. The Cardinals were held scoreless the rest of the way as Skidmore ended the game with a three at the buzzer from Harry Luo that made the final score 70-58 Cardinals.
