Cress Jumper Holds as Game-Winner

Farmingdale State - 59, Maritime - 58

Farmingdale, N.Y. - After Maritime made a 17-point second half comeback to take a 58-57 lead with 1:08 to play, a jumper by freshman guard Wade Cress (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis) with 52 seconds remaining gave the Rams a 59-58 edge and held on as the final basket of the game for the Skyline Conference victory.

Farmingdale State (12-11, 12-6) jumped out to a 28-6 lead in the first twelve minutes of the first half, as Maritime (17-6, 13-5) struggled shooting 26-percent from the field and 11-percent from long range. The Rams would hold a 35-17 advantage at the break.

In the second, Farmingdale kept the double-digit lead rolling until the seven-minute mark when Maritime cut the defcit to eight points. Trailing by seven with 2:33 to go, senior guard Andre Cooper (Baltimore, Md./Southwestern) scored on a layup on Maritime's next possession and then hit two free-throws after a Farmingdale turnover, making it 56-53 Rams.

After the Rams converted on 1-of-2 free throws, a Farmingdale foul sent Maritime junior guard Justin Bright (Brooklyn, N.Y./Park West) to the line, where he sank both and pulled the Privateers within two points, 57-55.

Another Rams turnover resulted in a game-tying layup by Bright and a foul, giving him a chance at the three-point play with 1:08 remaining on the clock. He hit the free throw for the 58-57 advantage, Maritime's first lead of the game.

On Farmingdale's next trip down the court, Cress would hit the eight foot jumper to give the Rams the lead back, 59-58, and the win.

Cress scored a game-high 17 points for Farmingdale State. Junior guard Shahee Martin (Queens, N.Y./West Hempstead) finished with 15 points (all from long range, 5-for-8) and seven rebounds. Junior forward Andre Martin (Bronx, N.Y./Evander Childs) had 12 points and three blocks for the night.

Maritime's Bright had a team-high 16 points, while Cooper added 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Rams will host Purchase College on Thursday, February 18th - SENIOR NIGHT - in a Skyline Conference game at 8:00 p.m.

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