Oneonta, NY- Sage's men's basketball team travelled to Hartwick College on Friday evening for an Empire 8 match-up. After trailing 32-27 at the half, the Gators used a late-game rally to beat the Hawks, 67-64. Sage's sophomore guard Deonte Sherwood (Orange Park, FL/Oakleaf) added 15 points in the contest, including 14 second half points to lead Sage to the key league win. With the win, the Gators are now 8-5 overall and 1-1 in the league. Hartwick falls to 8-4 overall and also 1-1 in the conference.
Hartwick led 32-27 at the break and led by as many as 13 points (50-37 with 9:58) left in the second stanza. The Gators tied the contest at 59-59 with 3:28 left as sophomore forward Charles Davis (Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hamer) dunked the ball. Sage picked up a one-point lead, 65-64 in the final seconds as senior captain Anthony Mitchell (Bronx, NY/Salesian) hit a jumper. Sherwood was fouled and went to the line making a pair of free throws with 0:04 left to seal the Gators' win.
Sage's sophomore guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow) finished with 17 points with four rebounds and three steals after adding 11 points in the first half. Sophomore center Stuart Phair (Canberra, Australia/Tyler Christian School) hauled in eight rebounds with 10 points and a pair of blocks, while Davis finished with nine rebounds and six points,
Mitchell continues his climb in the Gator record book as he is now 11th in scoring with 509 points, seventh in rebounding (319), fifth in assists (153) and seventh in blocks (40).
Sage is back in action on January 11 hosting Elmira College in an Empire 8 contest at 2 pm in Kahl Gym.