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Potsdam clinches playoff spot on Efese’s buzzer-beater

Posted 2/19/11

The SUNY Potsdam men’s basketball team clinched a spot in the State University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament in dramatic fashion Friday, defeating Fredonia 46-43 in a SUNYAC contest at …

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Potsdam clinches playoff spot on Efese’s buzzer-beater

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The SUNY Potsdam men’s basketball team clinched a spot in the State University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament in dramatic fashion Friday, defeating Fredonia 46-43 in a SUNYAC contest at Fredonia, N.Y.

After grabbing a rebound off a missed Fredonia lay-up, freshman Tony Efese (Spring Valley, N.Y.) dribbled up floor and launched a shot just before the half-court line as the buzzer sounded. The ball went straight in, sending the Bears’ bench into jubilation and completing a thrilling comeback.

“Fredonia had the ball with nine seconds left, had a shot at the rim and Tony blocked the ball out of bounds,” Potsdam coach Sherry Dobbs said. “Our guys did a great job of switching screens on their inbounds play … the ball got tipped around and Tony got it and shot it well before half court.”

Trailing 41-28 with just under seven minutes remaining, Potsdam (8-16 overall, 7-10 SUNYAC) used grit and determination to get back in the game after scoring just five points in the first 10 minutes of the half.

The Bears tied the game with 2:32 to play after a 13-0 run, highlighted by five points from Efese and four points from sophomore Curtis Pierce (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who totaled 10 points for the contest.

Fredonia (6-17, 3-14) retook the lead on the ensuing possession, but Potsdam junior Skip Schwartz (Rochester, N.Y.) knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game again. The teams exchanged a pair of empty possessions each before the Blue Devils took the ball with nine seconds left, setting up Efese’s heroics.

“The game was not pretty,” Dobbs said. “Neither team could score … we were not playing well offensively, but we kept battling back. Eventually we settled down and executed in the last five minutes of the game.”

The Bears shot just 36 percent from the field for the game, but allowed the Blue Devils to shoot 35.6 percent. Efese scored 12 of his game-high 16 points in the second half, while Schwartz also finished in double-figure scoring with 11 points, including 6-of-8 from the free throw line, off the bench.

Potsdam trailed 25-21 at the half after being outrebounded 22-14, including 9-5 on the offensive glass.

The Bears close out the regular season tomorrow at Buffalo State at 4 p.m. Potsdam currently sits in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings with one game to play.