SARANAC LAKE – The Raiders traveled to North Country CC for a Tuesday evening matchup with the Saints. Both teams took 7-6 records into the game. The two squads appeared to be evenly matched, but they played a game that had two very different halves.
FM played a strong first half and took a 37-31 lead into the break. The game began with Marquis Edwards hitting a three from the left corner. Soon after that, Jordan Stewart nailed a pair of threes, and Courtney Darnley netted a long two and a three. FM led 14-9.
Photo: Marquis Edwards scores after taking a pass from John Sumpter (20)
Two-pointers by Dondre Davis and Jonathan Brioso put FM ahead 20-11. As the half passed its midpoint, Raheem Small took Edwards' pass and upped FM's lead to 11 points. Barceem Dukes put in a rebound and kept the 11-point lead, at 26-15.
The Raiders seemed to be in control of the game, but in basketball things can change quickly. A risky shot that didn't go and an offensive foul by the Raiders let the home team close to 26-21.
Tyrone Davis hit both ends of a one-and-one. That made the score 30-23, but then the Saints tallied three unanswered field goals, and FM's lead was cut to 30-29.
Dondre Davis went to the line for a shooting foul, and he sank both FT's. Edwards and both Davises sank free throws. The first half was about to end when Shaleek Randolph scored by powering his way through the paint and letting go an underhanded layup an instant before the buzzer sounded. FM went into the break leading 37-31.
Photo: Barceem Dukes puts in a rebound
The Saints had given hints that they were getting back into the game, and they were definitely back when the second half began. Two free throws and two field goals brought North Country to within a point, at 39-38. Then FM's offense went cold and the Saints' defense tightened. At just 3:40 into the period, North Country took the lead, at 44-43.
FM kept working hard, but they missed too many shots – shots that they usually make. And the Saints' defense was stingy. By the time that John Sumpter sent Edwards on a scoring breakaway, NCCC led 59-51. Edwards scored again with a nice drive and a left-handed shot, but the Saints were in front 63-55.
North Country was up 75-63 with just 3:20 left, but then FM stepped up their game and mounted a final challenge. Edwards hit a three from the left. Stewart hit a three from the center. Luke Calkins fed Small, and Small closed the score to 77-74 with less than a minute to play.
The Raiders' defense swarmed the Saints, desperately trying to regain possession, but with 17.2 seconds left, North Country's Randall Saintilus sank a free throw. That was the game's final tally. NCCC won 78-74.
Photo: Jonathan Brioso took a feed from Tyrone Davis and scored
The Raiders will make every effort to get back into the win column on Thursday when they host the 4-8 Cougars of Clinton CC in a women's-men's doubleheader. The women's game is set for 4:00 p.m. and the men's game follows at 6:00.
C.J.Bonny, website writer
Scoring:
FMCC: Stewart 8, Randolph 2, Darnley 10, Dukes 4, Giddings 1, D. Davis 5, Edwards 19, Small 12, Brioso 4, T. Davis 9; Total 74
NCCC: Larose 18, Cooke 22, Gulotta 5, Gurcic 5, Saintilus 18, Paulk 8, Alexis 2; Total 78
Photo: The Raiders attack – from left, Barceem Dukes, John Sumpter, Shaleek Randolph, and Raheem Small
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