Late Comeback Falls Short in Conference Battle
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - It was an instant classic in the Allyn Hall Gymnasium at Onondaga Community College Wednesday night with a matchup that featured a pair of conference foes in the Lakers and Lazers. The teams would meet for the first time this season and the matchup would not disappoint.
The Lazers would jump out to an early lead over the Lakers and would carry a 6-point advantage into the halftime break. However, the Lakers would rally back in the final minutes of the game to make their attempt at a comeback. An alley-up, and-one opportunity from Andrew Edwards-Ferrell (Rochester, N.Y./U Prep) to Jaden Hartsfield (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Odyssey) with 11 seconds on the clock brought the game to within striking distance before the Lakers would gain possession off a steal on the inbound. A last-second attempt by the Lakers would fall short, handing the Lazers a 73-71 victory on their home court.
Freshman Jaquan Shears (Rochester, N.Y./Monroe) was a standout shooter for the second game in a row, scoring an impressive 23 points on an efficient 10-for-12 shooting. Shears would make his mark felt on the boards, grabbing 7 rebounds, and on defense with 2 steals. Freshman center Jace Brown (Red Creek, N.Y./Red Creek) came in off the bench and made an immediate and significant impact with 10 points, shooting an impressive 5-for-6 from the field. Brown would go on to add 7 rebounds to his tally.
Kyle Slywka (Waterloo, N.Y./Waterloo) and Jaden Hartsfield each added 10 points to the Lakers' total. Slywka paired his scoring with 7 rebounds and 2 assists, while Hartsfield distributed the ball effectively, dishing out 7 assists and adding 4 rebounds to his total. Sophomore Andrew Edwards-Ferrell made a strong contribution on the glass, leading the team with 11 rebounds while adding 6 points to his total.
Despite the loss, the Lakers continue to improve and remain competitive against Region III competition. Up next for the team is another conference matchup, this time against the visiting Genesee Community College Cougars who will make the trip to Canandaigua, N.Y. to take on the Lakers on the Putt Moore Court at 5:30 PM this Thursday, November 16th.