Brockport holds of Utica on Senior Night

By: Ashton Townsend

BROCKPORT, NY --- The Brockport Golden Eagles Men’s Basketball team grabbed a 76-65 win over the Utica Pioneers on senior night to extend their win streak to six. The Golden Eagles used a 17-0 run to open up the game and never relinquished that lead. Despite the Pioneers’ comeback efforts, freshman guard Pharell Aybar led the way for the Golden Eagles with 16 points.

Brockport celebrated Senior Night with a 76-65 victory over Utica. (Photo: Liv Metz)

“We just wanted it,” Aybar said. “We had a gameplan and we stuck to it. They beat us on their home floor, and we had to get them back.”

With 14:53 remaining in the first-half the Golden Eagles already had a 17-0 lead. By the 10-minute mark, it was a 28-6 lead, which was the highest the lead got in the game.

The Pioneers wouldn’t give up. After the game was 28-6, they went on a 24-9 run to cut it to a five-point game. Thompson hit two three-pointers to end the run for the Pioneers. By the end of the half, the Pioneers trailed by just eight points.

Pharell Aybar (3) finished with a team-high 16 points in the victory. (Photo: Abby Wheeler)

“They started to make shots,” Brockport head coach Joe Clarke said. “Our defensive transition wasn’t great, and we turned the ball over too much and gave them extra possessions.”

Coming out of the half, the Golden Eagles would sustain their lead the whole way. Again, the Pioneers would cut into the lead, but the Golden Eagles always had an answer.

Cameron Dyer ended with 14 points in the win. Ajani Flemming added 11 points and Jacob Oka had 10 to put four Golden Eagles in double-digits. Omar White (9), Christian Amica (9), Cameron Pownall (4) and Jack Clancy (3) all scored in the win.

Seniors Oka, White and Zach Rice were all celebrated pre-game.

Dayvion Thompson and Ryan McCardle paced the Pioneers with 18 points apiece.

Cameron Dyer pulls up for two of his 14 points over a Utica defender. (Photo: Abby Wheeler)

Brockport moves to 13-11 overall and 9-6 in conference play and the Pioneers are now 17-8 and 10-6. The Golden Eagles will take on SUNY Geneseo in the last regular season game of the year on Tuesday, Feb. 17, as they both are fighting for playoff seeding. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.