JOHNSTOWN – It was a grand evening for basketball when the Herkimer Generals invaded the Raiders Den on Wednesday. The visitors were ranked #1 in the region and #2 in the nation, but the Raiders were ready for them. 

A large and supportive crowd saw the Raiders take the lead 38-36 late in the first half and lead for most of the remainder of the game until the Generals managed to win by a single point in the final seconds. 

Photo:  Tyrone Davis is fouled – he sank both FT's for a 63-60 Raider lead 

The Generals opened the game with a long-range salvo. Herkimer's Jamell Johnson drained a three-pointer. Teammate Jallah Tarver did the same, and then Johnson sank another three on his way to a 20-point game. 

FM came right back. Jordan Stewart hit for three from the right side. Marquis Edwards sank a trey from the right corner. Herkimer led 9-6, and all of the game's five first baskets were three-pointers. 

The visitors lived up to their billing as a top-tier team, but the Raiders ran and defended and rebounded just as well as the taller visitors. 

Photo:  Marquis Edwards' jumper makes the score 13-13 

Herkimer led 15-13, but Tyrone Davis fed Raheem Small, and the score was tied again. 

The game was as hard fought as a game can be. Herkimer led 26-19 with 8:18 remaining in the first half. Stewart sank another three, this one from the left corner. Barceem Dukes grabbed an offensive rebound and scored. Stewart hit for three more. He scored five threes in the first half. (See photo at the bottom of this web page.) Dondre Davis powered his way up for two. Shaleek Randolph hit a three from the right corner. Stewart scored again, and FM went in front 38-36. The Raiders led 39-38 at the break. 

The second half saw FM maintaining a narrow lead most of the way. Courtney Darnley's three-pointer put FM up 47-41. Raheem Small tallied two threes, his second giving FM a 50-46 lead. 

Herkimer went in front 52-50, but Marquis Edwards drove and knotted the score at 52-all. Dondre Davis drove through the lane and put the Raiders in front 54-52. Darnley sank another three, and FM led by five points with 7:14 to play. 

Photo:  The FM cheerleaders performed at halftime with the scoreboard showing the Raiders in front 39-38 

Kyle Giddings' putback gave FM a 65-62 lead going into the final minute. FM still led 65-64 when Herkimer stole the ball with 31.4 on the clock. After a time out, the Generals got the ball to tall forward Ken Woodard, whose close-in score was the game winner. There were still 18.4 seconds to play, and the Raiders came close to tying or winning the game in those final, hyper-tense moments, but Herkimer held. The final score was 66-65. 

FM Assistant Coach Kevin Kucel was in charge of the Raiders, serving a one-game stint as head coach in Ed Collar's absence. That made the evening's matchup even more interesting because Kucel had played his first two years of college ball at Herkimer, under the Generals' current head coach, Matt Lee. Kucel had been a stellar shooting guard at Herkimer. On Wednesday night, the young coach Kucel came within seconds of defeating his mentor, Lee. 

The Raiders' next game will be another challenging one. FM will play the region's #2 team, Mohawk Valley, in Utica on Saturday. Game time is 3:00 p.m.

Scoring: 

Herkimer:  Murphy 2-0-4, Johnson 7-0-20, Owens 2-0-5, Tarver 4-4-13, Woodard 5-6-16, Langhorne 1-4-6, Riascos 1-0-2; Totals 22-14-66

Three-point goals:  9 (Murphy, Johnson 6, Owens, Tarver) 

FMCC:  Stewart 5-2-17, Randolph 1-0-3, Darnley 2-0-6, Dukes 2-0-4, Giddings 3-0-6, D. Davis 3-1-7, M. Edwards 4-0-9, Small 3-0-8, T. Davis 1-3-5; Totals 24-6-65

Three-point goals:  11 (Stewart 5, Randolph, Darnley 2, Edwards, Small 2) 

Halftime:  FM 39 – HCCC 38 

Records:  Herkimer 21-2 (12-1), FMCC 13-9 (7-6) 

Photo:  Jordan Stewart nails a three from the left corner – sharpshooter Stewart sank five threes in the first half

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