by Warren Kozireski
The Brockport men’s basketball team defeated nationally ranked Buffalo State 94-70 on the road and shot an electric 61% from the field in the first half to beat Fredonia 79-64 at home as they started the second half of their conference schedule. The women lost both contests.
In the Fredonia game, the Golden Eagles used a 25-0 first half run to open up a 25 point lead highlighted by three treys from Jordan Major, two more by Derek Klein and eight more points by John Ivy that they increased to 33 points later in the first half.
The Blue Devils could only get as close as 14 points from the lead in the second half.
“We just need to get more of a killer instinct, but we’re learning every day,” said Klein. “The whole key to the fast start was our defense. Defense leads to offense and our intensity was there. If we keep playing with that defensive intensity, we will be hard to beat.”
Five different players scored in double figures for Brockport led by Ivy’s 16 points while senior Gerald Williams had 13, Kyheem Green and Major 12 each and freshman Lance Legister added ten points. Williams and Green each had six rebounds while Klein handed out four assists.
Hilton grad Hebert on top of her game for women
In the women’s contest the Golden Eagles trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half before a late rally that included a three-pointer by freshman Phoebe Byrnes and an old-fashioned three point play plus a half-court buzzer beater from Kelly Grinnell.
Becky HebertFredonia sophomore and Hilton graduate Becky Hebert, who came into the game leading the SUNYAC conference in scoring, led all scorers with 26 points and added six rebounds. Hebert averaged just six points per game last season but is close to 20 per game this year.
“Last year it was all about getting the experience I needed and I worked hard this summer and it’s really showing this year,” said Hebert. “Jeff (Hilton head coach Eichas) helped me a lot especially over the summer; we did workouts together and I went to all of their open gyms. I also had a knee injury that I had to wear a brace all last year so my legs got a lot stronger over the summer so I don’t need to wear the brace anymore.”
Grinnell scored 17 points while LaDonya Rolle added 11 for Brockport. Rachel Csakany and Rolle tied for the team lead with eight rebounds.
