SUNY Corning Men's Basketball

Preview: Red Barons Clash with Top-Seeded Genesee in NJCAA Semifinals

The Matchup: #1 Genesee (20-4) vs. #5 SUNY Corning (14-10)
Location: Anthony T. Zambito Gymnasium (Batavia, N.Y.)
Time: 1:00 pm
Video Stream: https://vimeo.com/event/376399

The fifth-seeded SUNY Corning Red Barons travel to take on the top-seeded Genesee Cougars in the semifinals of the NJCAA Region III Tournament on Saturday, February 26. It will mark the third meeting of the season between the two Region III foes, as the Red Barons eye their first win of the season over the Cougars and a trip to the title game.

SUNY Corning is coming off of back-to-back wins in the NJCAA Region III Tournament and own a 5-5 record in its last 10 games. Two of Corning’s losses during that time came at the hands of Genesee, including the regular season finale on February 17.

Genesee enters the matchup riding high on a 16-game winning streak that dates back to January 8. The last time the Cougars suffered defeat was on December 15 against Monroe Community College. In its last seven wins, Genesee has defeated its opponents by double-digit margins. The team’s last single-digit win came against SUNY Corning, 84-79, on January 31.

 

Stats to Watch
At this time of the year, most teams are going to match up fairly evenly – you don’t get to the semifinals of a playoff tournament without doing several things well. Just about every statistical category is close, separated by small percentages, with the exception being free-throw percentage. Genesee has knocked down 69.2% of its attempts from the charity stripe, while SUNY Corning has connected at 61.3%. As is the case in most competitive games, the team with the ability to make free-throws in crunch time is the one who usually gets the win.

However, it is key to note that although Genesee has made free-throws at a higher rate, the Red Barons hold a significant edge in drawing shooting fouls. SUNY Corning has attempted 607 shots from the free-throw line, second in Region III only to Jefferson Community College by two attempts. Genesee, on the other hand, has taken 484 free-throws.

So, what does this mean? It means that SUNY Corning has an innate ability to draw contact around the rim and has the potential to put Genesee’s players into foul trouble. It also means that Genesee’s approach on offense has been focused around the perimeter. The Cougars have attempted the second-most 3-pointers in Region III with 599 attempts, knocking down those attempts at a 31.7% rate.

Aside from these factors, another point to make is the scoring depth and rate of Genesee. The Cougars average 88.9 points per game, which ranks second in Region III. They have four players averaging double digits and eight players averaging 7.0 points or more. SUNY Corning also has four players with double-digit scoring averages, but the next highest scorer is averaging 6.8.  Genesee’s bench depth has been a factor in its success all season and will surely play a factor in the NJCAA Region III Final Four.

 

Last Meeting
SUNY Corning and Genesee last met on February 17 in the 2021-22 regular season finale at Kenner Court. The Red Barons came out hot in the opening half, creating scoring chances in the paint and from 3-point range. However, the Cougars weathered Corning’s high energy and turned an early deficit into an eight-point lead at the half. The Red Barons pulled to within three points in the second half, but Genesee’s transition offense and commitment to shooting the 3-ball resulted in a 105-88 win for the Cougars.

The 17-point win was a far cry from the earlier matchup between these two sides back on January 31, which resulted in a five-point win for the Cougars, 84-79. SUNY Corning led by as many as 10 points in the second half, but Genesee would go on a 14-3 run to reclaim its first lead since the first half. Corning eventually took a one-point lead with 5:37 remaining, but this was as close as the Red Barons got, as the Cougars escaped with the win.

The biggest difference from the first meeting to the second meeting was Genesee’s bench. In Genesee’s five-point win, the Cougar bench scored a collective 35 points, but in the season finale the bench players contributed a whopping 71 points.

Click here to view the box score.

 

Stat Leaders

SUNY Corning
Points: Xavier Hill (16.1 ppg)
Assists: Xavier Hill (3.1 apg)
Rebounds: Xavier Hill (8.8 rpg)
Steals: Maurice Doby & Damont Hanton (1.2 spg)
Blocks: Xavier Hill (0.9 bpg)

Genesee
Points: Jalen Willis (15.0 ppg)
Assists: Jalen Willis (3.9 apg)
Rebounds: Jalen Willis (7.2 rpg)
Steals: Jalen Willis (2.2 spg)
Blocks: Antwan Williams (0.7 bpg)

 

SUNY Corning Punches Ticket to NJCAA Region III Final Four
A strong second-half performance fueled the fifth-seeded SUNY Corning Community College men’s basketball team to an 80-69 road win over fourth-seeded Hudson Valley Community College in the quarterfinal round of the NJCAA Region III Tournament. With the win, the Red Barons join Genesee Community College, Onondaga Community College, and Herkimer College in the NJCAA Region III Final Four.

All of the final four games will take place on Genesee Community College’s campus at the Anthony T. Zambito Gymnasium in Batavia, New York, on February 26-27. Additional details to follow.

SUNY Corning dominated the boards, and thus controlled Tuesday night’s quarterfinal matchup. The Red Barons outrebounded the Vikings, 56-37, which included 18 offensive rebounds for CCC. Xavier Hill led the way on the glass with a monster 19-rebound effort, a full six rebounds more than his previous season high.

Hill produced 10 points to go along with 19 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the season. He also rejected a season-high three shots and dished out a trio of assists.

Bryce Smith was one rebound shy of collecting his seventh double-double of the year with a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds. Smith was ultra-efficient from the floor, knocking down 11-of-13 shots. He also tied for the team high in steals with three takeaways.

Damont Hanton added 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Andre Starks and Jamere Kosh added nine and four points, respectively. SUNY Corning’s bench chipped in 17 points, nine of which came from Maurice Doby. Five of Doby’s points came from the free-throw line, and he shared the team high in steals with Smith with three.

For Hudson Valley, Kobi Wallace produced a game-high 26 points on 10-of-22 shooting. Luke Bourgault and Trevor Green added 18 and 16 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ bench was limited to just five points on a collective 1-for-11 shooting performance.

Click here to view the box score.

 

Preview: SUNY Corning Community College Men’s Basketball Faces Hudson Valley in NJCAA Region III Quarterfinals

The Matchup: #4 Hudson Valley (16-6) vs. #5 SUNY Corning (13-10)
Location: McDonough Sports Complex (Troy, N.Y.)
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Video Stream: https://www.hvccathletics.com/watch

The fifth-seeded Red Barons of SUNY Corning Community College travel to face the fourth-seeded Vikings of Hudson Valley Community College in the NJCAA Region III Quarterfinals on Tuesday, February 22, at 6:00 pm. It will mark the second meeting of the season between the two teams, as SUNY Corning clipped the Vikings by a five-point margin on Kenner Court, 84-79, on November 21.

SUNY Corning heads into the quarterfinals with a 5-5 record in its last 10 contests. Credit the quality of competition for CCC’s .500 record in those last 10 meetings, as four of the five losses came against top-10 nationally-ranked opponents.

Hudson Valley is hitting its stride at this point of the season and enters tonight’s contest with nine wins in its last 10 games. Of those 10 wins, one was secured against a nationally-ranked opponent in No. 3-ranked Herkimer Community College, 74-72. Additionally, Hudson Valley puts its four-game winning streak on the line, as well as its 9-3 record in home contests this season.

 

Stats to Watch
All things considered, these two sides matchup fairly evenly. SUNY Corning shoots the ball at a slightly better percentage, both from the field and 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Vikings have nearly an 8-point edge in terms of free-throw shooting – 69.4% versus CCC’s 61.8%. In a close game, efficiency from the free-throw line could be a determining factor.

However, the two biggest stats to keep an eye on in tonight’s matchup is rebounding differential and turnovers. With 45.1 rebounds per game, Hudson Valley ranks first among all teams in NJCAA Region III, while SUNY Corning ranks 12 out of 14 teams with an average of 33.3. Offensive boards result in extra possessions, so SUNY Corning’s efforts on the defensive glass in limiting second-chance points will be crucial.

On a similar note, SUNY Corning’s ability to force Hudson Valley turnovers will be critical. The Vikings own the third-highest turnover rate in Region III at 17.5 turnovers per contest, compared to just 12.5 per game for SUNY Corning. For CCC, just like limiting offensive rebounds, it will be equally as important to cause turnovers in order to create easy buckets in transition.

 

Last Meeting
On November 21, 2021, the Red Barons converted a six-point halftime lead into an 84-79 win on their home hardwood. SUNY Corning connected at a 52.6% clip from the field – including an 8-18 (44.4%) showing from 3-point range – while holding the Vikings to 38.1% shooting. Hudson Valley struggled shooting the ball, especially from 3-point range, as the Vikings produced its fourth-worst percentage of the season (25%).

SUNY Corning’s Damont Hanton led CCC with a 19-point performance, while Bryce Smith produced one of his six double-doubles of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Andre Starks chipped in 13 points, while Josh Green added eight and seven boards. As a collective group, SUNY Corning’s bench was a key factor in the win as a quartet of players combined for 29 points.

The Vikings had five players in double figures, led by Aristide Gateretse’s 22 points, 16 of which came from the free-throw line. SUNY Corning’s defense came up big in limiting Hudson Valley’s leading scorer, Trevor Green, who was held to 12 points, a full seven points below his season average. CCC’s efforts on defense could also be seen based on its effort to limit clean 3-point looks, as Green and Luke Gourgault – Hudson Valley’s top 3-point shooters – were limited to just three combined makes from beyond the arc.

Another important factor in the win was that SUNY Corning won both the turnover (24-to-19) and rebound (40-to-35) battles.

Click here to view the box score.

 

Stat Leaders

SUNY Corning
Points: Xavier Hill (16.5 ppg)
Assists: Andre Starks (3.2 apg)
Rebounds: Bryce Smith (8.7 rpg)
Steals: Xavier Hill, Maurice Doby, Damont Hanton (1.1 spg)
Blocks: Xavier Hill (0.7 bpg)

Hudson Valley
Points: Trevor Green (19.0 ppg)
Assists: Trevor Green (4.0 apg)
Rebounds: Kobi Wallace (10.1 rpg)
Steals: Trevor Green (2.7 spg)
Blocks: Trevor Green (0.9 bpg)

 

SUNY Corning Defeats Cayuga Community College in Opening Round of NJCAA Region III Tournament
The SUNY Corning Community College men’s basketball team (13-10) advanced to the NJCAA Region III Quarterfinals after defeating Cayuga Community College (3-20) in overtime, 81-74, in the opening-round game of the tournament on Saturday, February 19.

In the opening round of the NJCAA Region III Tournament, the Red Barons erased a four-point halftime deficit to secure the victory in overtime. SUNY Corning leaned on the scoring efforts of Bryce Smith, Xavier Hill, and Andre Starks, all of whom produced double-digit points.

Smith, a graduate of Elmira High School, led the Red Barons with a double-double effort of 22 points and 14 rebounds. His 22 points were a season-high, while his field goal percentage – 75% on 9-of-12 shooting – tied his season-high mark. Smith also came away with two steals and a block.

Hill was not far behind the scoring pace of Smith, as the Johnson City, New York, native poured in 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting. The bulk of Hill’s scoring came from beyond the arc, as he drained five 3-pointers, accounting for 15 of his 21 buckets. It marked the fifth time this season that Hill has produced 20-plus points.

At the point guard position, Starks chipped in 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting to round out SUNY Corning’s double-figure scorers. The Rochester, New York, product dished out four assists, a mark that tied for the team high. Jamere Kosh and Maurice Doby also logged four assists, with Doby doing his work off of the bench.

Defensively, Damont Hanton utilized his large wingspan to create issues for the visiting Spartans, as he created a team-high four steals. In total, the Red Barons came away with a season-high 14 steals in Saturday’s contest. Five of the 14 steals were registered by the Corning bench, including Doby (2), Sami Lockhart (2), and Devin Dennard (1).

Click here to view the box score.