The Blue Devils (8-8, 3-5 SUNYAC), up by as many as 28 points in the first half, needed late heroics by seniors Tim Anderson (Jamestown/Jamestown) and Devin Watkins (Franklinville/Franklinville) before the outcome was decided.
Junior Taha Alassari (Brooklyn/Sweet Home) finished with 15 points and Anderson had 14 plus team-highs with six rebounds and six assists.
For Brockport (8-8, 4-3 SUNYAC), senior Jerry Cheves (Brockport/Bropckport) showed the way with 16 points. Junior Dan Rubertone (Smithtown/Smithtown West) added 15 and senior Ben Bellucci (Cicero/Cicero-North Syracuse) was held to 13 after averaging 31.3 points in three SUNYAC games last week.
The No. 1 scoring team in the conference at 85.5 points per game, Brockport came out cold as ice and fell behind 17-2 after just over 10 minutes. Fredonia State pushed its advantage out to 35-7 -- its largest lead -- on two free throws by Anderson with 4:48 in the first half before Brockport finally started finding the range. The Golden Eagles made four three-pointers -- two by Bellucci to go along with two free throws -- in the final 4:34 of the half to cut their deficit to 39-22 at intermission.
Brockport continued to battle back throughout the second half and drew within two points twice and one point one time, 55-54, on a three-point play by Rubertone with 3:45 left.
Anderson pushed the Fredonia State advantage to four points, 58-54, with a three-point basket following a missed shot, a wild scramble, and a rebound by senior Chris Donahue (Olean/Olean). With 1:39 left, Anderson fed sophomore Kyle Gordon (Canandaigua/Canandaigua) underneath for a lay-up and a 60-54 Fredonia State lead.
Watkins then nailed the door shut on Brockport when he grabbed a rebound and scored on a putback from an improbable angle beneath his team's basket. Donahue added two free throws in the final seconds.
1-24-06 8 p.m. at Steele Hall Fredonia, N. Y. At Steele Hall Fredonia, N. Y. FREDONIA 64, BROCKPORT 56 BROCKPORT (8-8,4-3 SUNYAC) CHEVES, Jerry 5-14 2-2 16; RUBERTONE, Dan 2-4 11-13 15; BELLUCCI, Ben 3-8 5-5 13; WILKES, Mychal 2-9 0-0 5; AMPARO, Kenny 2-6 1-2 5; ROTHER, Jon 1-3 0-1 2. Totals 15-44 19-23 56. FREDONIA (8-8,3-5 SUNYAC) ALASSARI, Taha 5-12 1-1 15; ANDERSON, Tim 4-11 4-6 14; DONAHUE, Chris 3-8 2-3 9; GORDON, Kyle 3-5 2-2 8; KELLY, Mike 2-8 0-0 6; WATKINS, Devin 2-5 0-0 4; REICHLMAYR, Kevin 2-4 0-0 4; SMITH, Adam 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 23-56 9-12 64. Brockport..................... 22 34 - 56 Fredonia...................... 39 25 - 64 3-point goals-Brockport 7-25 (CHEVES, Jerry 4-13; BELLUCCI, Ben 2-5; WILKES, Mychal 1-6; ROTHER, Jon 0-1), Fredonia 9-29 (ALASSARI, Taha 4-9; ANDERSON, Tim 2-6; KELLY, Mike 2-7; DONAHUE, Chris 1-4; SMITH, Adam 0-1; WATKINS, Devin 0-2). Fouled out--Brockport-None, Fredonia-None. Rebounds-Brockport 35 (RUBERTONE, Dan 11), Fredonia 29 (ANDERSON, Tim 6). Assists-Brockport 11 (BELLUCCI, Ben 3; RUBERTONE, Dan 3), Fredonia 16 (ANDERSON, Tim 6). Total fouls-Brockport 14, Fredonia 21. A-347