Devils clutch late, drop Knights
Richard De La Cruz connected on a pair of free throws with 1:29 left to play to give Fredonia its first lead of the game and the Devils dominated the final minute-and-a-half of play to claim a 68-62 victory at Geneseo on Saturday.
Nicc Johnson would lead the Devils with 15 points, while De La Cruz added 14 and Dante Williams had 13. Ian Helps was the fourth Devil in double-digits with 11.
Following the clutch free throws by De La Cruz, Keith Ruiz stole the ball and kicked ahead to Johnson who was fouled as he made the layup on the fast break. Johnson completed the three-point play to push the lead to 64-60.
Geneseo converted a layup on its next possession before Justin Tapper and Williams each connected on a pair of free throws in the final 21 seconds to give the final. The Devils went seven for seven from the line in the decisive stretch.
The game started with both teams firing up the long range jumpers. It took 2:53 and a combined five missed threes before Geneseo's John Decker nailed a three to open scoring.
Williams made a pair of threes for the Devils and Decker converted a second three. Add in a layup by Justin Ringen of Geneseo, and the Knights held an 8-6 lead.
Following a traditional three-point play by Geneseo, Keith Ruiz nailed a third three pointer. Geneseo would finish with 14 made threes and the Devils six.
Geneseo led by as many as 11 in the first half, but the Devils closed strong. With Geneseo up 32-21, the Devils closed out the half on a 9-0 run to make it a 32-30 game at intermission.
A Brandon Hodge jumper on the Devils first possession in the second half tied the game at 32. The Devils tied the game again at 53 following a Nicc Johnson dunk at 4:44. Geneseo would lead by as many as five before the Devils made their final comeback.
Fredonia improves to 4-5 in the SUNYAC, and 7-9 overall. Helps led the Devils with seven rebounds, and Williams was three for three from downtown. The Devils had fallen to the Knights in overtime just four days earlier.
Geneseo falls to 5-3 and 10-5. Decker finished with 20 points, and Ringen had 12.
The team returns to Steele Hall next weekend to take on New Paltz and Oneonta.
