Taylor Leads Hawks Past Cardinals

PLATTSBURGH, NY- Sophomore guard Shereef Taylor scored the Hawks final 10 points and was 5-of-5 from the free throw line down the stretch as the Hawks defeated Plattsburgh 81-77 Saturday evening. The Hawks improve to 9-8 overall and 5-6 in the SUNYAC, while Plattsburgh falls to 11-7 overall and 6-5 in the SUNYAC.

Taylor finished with 19 points and seven rebounds and Nick Taldi added 17 points. Harris Wichard netted 14 points and seven rebounds and Oppong Agyemang finished with five points, seven rebound and four assists.

Errol Daniyan scored a game-high 26 points and had 10 rebounds to lead Plattsburgh. Chris Ruiz finished with 18 points and nine rebounds and Steve Thomas had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Plattsburgh started the game off with a 10-3 run, but the Hawks battled back to take 20-19 lead. The Hawks would extend their lead to 12 points at 45-33 with one minute, 15 seconds remaining in the half. The Cardinals would score the final four points of the half to make the 45-37 half-time lead for the Hawks. The Hawks bench outscored the Cardinals bench 11-3 in the half.

The Cardinals came up strong to start the second, as they scored the first five points of the half to cut the Hawks lead to three at 45-42. The Hawks wasted no time regaining their double-digit lead with a 10-2 run. The Hawks lead by as many as 14 before the Cardinals made a run to take the lead 71-70 with five minutes, three seconds to go. The Hawks would hold strong as they were able to regain the lead and hold off the Cardinals for the win.

The Hawks return to the court Tuesday, February 1st, as they go for the season sweep of Cortland at 8 p.m. in the Hawk Center.