Chung Shines in Career Night, But Cobleskill Falls to UMPI 80-77 in Overtime Thriller

COBLESKILL – In a nail-biting North Atlantic Conference (NAC) showdown, the SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball team fell just short in a thrilling overtime battle, losing 80-77 to the University of Maine-Presque Isle (UMPI) on Monday evening in the Iorio Gymnasium.

Junior guard Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY/LaSalle/CGCC) was the standout performer for the Fighting Tigers, setting a career-high with 24 points, to go with six rebounds and two assists. Chung's sharpshooting was a highlight, as he sank 6-of-12 three-pointers and shot 8-of-18 from the field. Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, NY) contributed a well-rounded performance with 13 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a block, going 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Chace Peterson (Troy, NY) added 13 points and seven rebounds, making key plays on both ends of the court with two steals and a block. First-year forward Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) also made a significant impact, tallying 10 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.

The game was a classic seesaw affair. Maine-Presque Isle led the way with a shooting percentage of 46.3 percent compared to Cobleskill's 36.8 percent, but Cobleskill held the advantage in three-point shooting, hitting 26.9 percent of their attempts versus UMPI's 15.4 percent. The rebounding battle was tightly contested, with UMPI narrowly out-rebounding Cobleskill 49 to 47. Cobleskill edged out second-chance points 9-6 and matched UMPI's bench contributions, 12-11. The Tigers also showed strong defensive presence with five blocks in the game.

The action started with UMPI jumping to an early 14-4 lead, but Chung's sharp shooting brought Cobleskill back within striking distance. His first three-pointer at the 14-minute mark sparked a scoring spree, cutting the deficit to 14-7. Chung's back-to-back threes later narrowed the gap to five points. A layup by Jermaine Wheeler (Manhattan, NY/Marist) brought the Tigers within two, but UMPI regained their rhythm to end the half ahead 39-30.

Cobleskill roared back in the second half with a 13-4 run, tying the game at 43-43 within three minutes, thanks to key three-pointers from Chung and Chalik Rush (Brooklyn, NY/Graphic Arts). The teams remained neck-and-neck, with the score knotted at 47-47 after a Tanksley layup. In the final minutes, with UMPI leading 70-65, Cobleskill mounted a gritty comeback. Peterson's clutch layup reduced the deficit to a single possession, and in a dramatic turn, Chung hit a deep three-pointer with just seconds remaining to force overtime.

Overtime was equally intense, with the teams tied at 74-74 with under two minutes left. Despite another critical three-pointer from Chung that brought the Tigers within one, UMPI held their nerve at the free-throw line to seal the 80-77 victory.

The Fighting Tigers will look to bounce back on Saturday, January 18, as they hit the road to face Husson University at 3:00 p.m.