PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Senior guard
Reem Welch (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) recorded his second straight double-double, leading the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team to a 67-60 victory over Norwich in their home opener on Tuesday night. Welch led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists, finishing with 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
Sophomore guard
Jaiden Gladney (Charlestown, W. Va. / Jefferson) had another strong performance with 11 points, five rebounds, and a career-high four steals. Junior guard/forward
David McKnight Jr. (South Orange, N.J. / Columbia) contributed on both sides of the ball with 10 points and three blocks.
Irwayne Connell Jr. (Monroe CC / Saint Thomas Aquinas) and
Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, N.Y. / Mount Vernon) both added nine points to the winning effort, while Connell Jr. had four rebounds and two steals, and Morris had three assists and three steals.
For the Cadets, Michel Ndayishimiye led the team with 21 points, and Joe Joe DuBrul led all players in rebounds with 14, to go with 13 points for a double-double. Jordan Ricketts had a solid outing with nine points.
Overall, for the game, Plattsburgh shot a solid 37.9% from the field and 28.6% from the three-point line compared to the Cadets, who shot 41.1% from the field and 27.3% from the three-point line. It was a high turnover game, and Plattsburgh took advantage, recording 17 points off turnovers to Norwich's 14. Norwich won the battle on the boards (39-36) and had no second-chance points, whereas the Cardinals had eight.
The Cardinals got on the board early as Connell Jr. scored five straight points, followed by a layup from Gladney, before Norwich responded with a layup and then back-to-back threes and a layup to take a 10-9 lead with 15:01 to go. Five quick points gave Plattsburgh back the lead, and then an 8-0 surge put the Cardinals ahead 24-14 midway through the first half. The Cardinals pushed their lead to as high as 13 until an 8-0 and a 12-0 run from Norwich gave the Cadets a 39-34 lead, and Plattsburgh went into halftime down 41-37.
A Welch jumper started the scoring in the second, but Plattsburgh still trailed for the majority of the half until a 7-0 run, capped off by a Welch free throw, gave the Cardinals a momentary 55-54 lead with 7:32 remaining. Norwich responded right away and regained a 60-55 lead thanks to a quick 6-0 run. However, the Cardinals continued to battle, closing the game on a 12-0 run led by Welch with five points, and held Norwich scoreless over the final 5:50 to seal a 67-60 victory.
With the victory, Plattsburgh State improves to 2-0 to start the season and next travels to St. Lawrence next Tuesday, Nov. 18, for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. With the loss, Norwich falls to 1-1 and next plays St. John Fisher on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Vermont State University Castleton Tournament.
