Sortino nets career-high 48 as Oswego advances to the title game
OSWEGO — Brian Sortino scored a career-high 48 points as the top-seeded Oswego State Lakers held off the No. 5 Buffalo State Bengals 84–83 in overtime to advance to the title game for the third straight year.
Sortino’s 48 is just one point shy of Oswego’s record, which was set by Ron Davis in February of 1959 when he scored 49 points in Potsdam. Most of Sortino’s damage was done in the second half, as he scored 34 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field and made 9-of-10 free-throw attempts.
Sortino also contributed with nine rebounds and six assists, with one of those assists leading to the eventual game-winner.
“Brian is just an incredible player,” said Lakers head coach Jason Leone. “He had a look in his eye tonight that was just special. We’re all spoiled to watch the things that he does on the court.”
Sortino was trapped at the top of the key, but was able to find Jamir Ferebee near the basket for the layup which ultimately counted because of a goaltending call with just under eight seconds left in overtime.
“They kind of double, triple-teamed me and then I turned around and saw another guy there and I just see Jamir just jumping up and down,” Sortino said. I trust Jamir with the ball. I knew he was going to make a good play.”
With the Bengals having plenty of time to set up a play to win them the game, the Lakers, clinging to a one-point lead, knew they had to make a stop and had no room for error if they wanted to pull out the victory. Buffalo State took advantage of that time and set up a wide-open look at the 3-point shot, but the shot fell just short as time expired.
“Anytime you’re in that last second situation, what you want to do is try to go into the huddle, and give our guys as simplistic a plan as possible,” Leone said. “You don’t want them going out there thinking too much. So we set up a defense that we normally use in that situation that has won us, I think four of the last five games.”
Despite the loss, Buffalo State outshot Oswego 54.1 to 36.6 percent from the field.
“The stat sheet, if you look at it, it doesn’t look like we should’ve won the game. But you know what, we made the plays when we had to make them, and I’m just real proud of our guys,” Leone said.
Lovell Smith scored 29 points and Dom Grayer added 15 points for the Bengals. Jordan Glover and Jordan Chateau had 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Ferebee and Ian Schupp scored 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Lakers. Keith Tyson had a game-high 11 rebounds, but was just 2-of-13 from the field.
“Scoring is not the only thing I can do. It’s a team sport, so I try to do whatever I can to help us out,” Tyson said.
The Lakers will face off against the No. 3 Oneonta Red Dragons in the SUNYAC finals Saturday at 4 P.M. Oneonta defeated the No. 2 Brockport Golden Eagles 85–72 to advance to the finals.
