CLINTON, N.Y. – Conclusions drawn after the first game of any season usually look about as coherent as a Jackson Pollock painting by season's end. But hey, the man made a few bucks so let's throw caution to the wind: the 2014-15 SUNY Poly Men's Basketball Team (0-1), true to Coach Rob Schoener's words, are going to play hard this year.
The young Wildcat team lost to the Hamilton Continentals (2-0) in their season-opener Wednesday night, 63-51. The Wildcats competed for all 40 minutes, however, especially on the defensive end. Moral victories are even less popular than actual morality these days, but it's worth noting that last year's Wildcat team (which finished 17-8) also lost to Hamilton but gave up 96 points in the contest.
As for the action on the court, SUNY Poly finished the first half down just six points. The 'Cats gave up a lot of size to the Continentals, but pestered the home team full court to keep the team from getting into a rhythm offensively.
Returning point guard Maverick Hodge (Bronx, N.Y. / Samuel Gompers) led the team with 8 points in the frame, including a nifty pull-up three-pointer with the shot clock winding down late in the half.
Hodge made a few more big plays in the second half. With 11:50 to go in the game the Continentals had stretched the lead to ten, 37-27. The SUNY Poly point guard hit a hanging lay-up, then came up with a steal on the other end that led to a fastbreak bucket. An assist to Tyler Taverne (Westmoreland, N.Y. / Westmoreland) finished off a 6-0 run for the Wildcats and forced a timeout by the Continentals.
Unfortunately for the 'Cats, the Continentals regrouped out of the play stoppage and rattled off an 8-0 run of their own. The home team continued to control the play in the second half, mainly through 6-foot-7 forward Ajani Santos on the inside. The junior finished the night with a game-high 24 points on 10 of 16 shooting.
Things could have gone sideways for SUNY Poly during the last third of the second half, but the team played hard to keep the game close, cutting the Hamilton lead to under double-digits at one point.
Hodge finished the game with 21 points to lead Wildcats scorers, and dished out 6 assists. Freshman guard Ryan McCarthy (Camden, N.Y. / Camden) didn't have the best shooting night in his debut but showed promise from behind the arc, finishing with 9 points all from long range. Fellow rookie Tyler Taverne battled the big front line of Hamilton and finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds to lead the team on the glass.
The Wildcats will be back in action with another local rivalry next Tuesday. They travel to Utica College for a 4:00 pm match up with the Pioneers.