Men's Basketball

Soaring Eagles Fly Past Hawks, 72-61

ONEONTA, NY - Jon Adamson's double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds paced visiting Elmira College (3-13, 1-6 E8) in a 72-61 win over Hartwick (7-8, 1-6 E8) in men's basketball action at Binder Gymnasium on Friday night. EC trailed for virtually the entire first half and a portion of the second before taking the lead for good with 12:30 remaining in the game.

Adamson scored 17 points in the second half. He shot 9-for-13 from the floor, was perfect from the line hitting a few clutch free throws, and earned five steals. Bobby DiPiazza scored 16 points for EC and Chris Henderson added 12.

Jan Cocozziello (Scotch Plains, NJ) netted 12 first-half points for the Hawks. He finished with 19. Mark Blazek (Erie, PA) contributed 14 points and Ramond Doyley (Yonkers, NY) chipped in with 10.

Hartwick led by as many as eight points in the first half of play and was in control throughout much of the period. The Hawks led by seven, 28-21, with 5:15 to go before the break, but it was EC that hit the locker room on an 11-4 roll to even the score, 32-32.

In the second half, after two lead changes and three tie scores, a jumper from David Nelson gave the visitors a 41-39 lead which they did not relinquish. EC would outscore the Hawks by a 17-9 margin over the next 6:34 to take a 56-47 lead with 5:56 to play.

Cocozziello then hit a jumper and a Blazek three-pointer would shave the lead to six points, 68-62, with under three minutes remaining. EC would secure the win at the free-throw line as the team sank 12 of 13 from the stripe in the last 180 seconds of the game.

With EC clinging to the six-point lead, Adamson would put the nail in the coffin as he converted seven of the game's next 10 points with a layup, a three-point play, and a pair of free throws to open up a 10-point Elmira edge with 1:27 to play. The Hawks were unable to get the advantage down to 10 the rest of the way.

Hartwick hits the hardwood again Sunday as the team hosts Empire 8 leader RIT at 2 p.m. The Tigers will enter the game unbeaten in conference play at 7-0.