By: Jake Wilson
For most SUNY Cortland students winter break is a time of relaxation, enjoying a time free from the stress of cramming for exams. However, for the men of the SUNY Cortland men’s basketball team winter break meant traveling down south to participate in the Florida Sunshine Shootout.
This two-day tournament offers Division III programs the opportunity to face teams outside of their usual list of opponents. Although the men’s basketball team lost both games, the tournament provided a great opportunity for the team.
Nolan Raymond, is a freshman guard for the team who contributed to Cortland’s scoring against both teams in the tournament. He scored 17 points against Dubuque and eight points and six rebounds against Gustavus Adolphus.
“I would say it was a really great experience,” said Raymond. “It was a unique experience, especially for a division three school like us.”
Aaron Coston, a senior guard on the team who contributed to Cortland’s scoring in both games of the tournament. Against Dubuque he contributed 12 rebounds and 13 points, and against Gustavus Adolphus he contributed 11 points and seven rebounds.
“Honestly, it was an amazing trip, just to be able to go to somewhere warm at a time where it was a blizzard in Cortland,” said Coston. “Then it was just being able to play against different types of players and other conferences and seeing how it is outside of SUNYAC. It was a new experience inside of an arena. It was overall just fun.”
Cortland’s first game was against the University of Dubuque, who proved to be quite the challenge. Cortland led for the majority of the game, with the score at halftime being 31-24 and they also led with six minutes remaining with a score of 55-50.
With less than two minutes left Dubuque flipped the game around and led 63-58 with less than two minutes remaining. With 1:27 remaining Cortland hit two of three free throws to cut the lead to three.
Ultimately, a costly foul in the last five seconds of the game would end up sealing the game for Dubuque, handing Cortland their first loss of the tournament.
In their second game, Cortland faced Gustavus Adolphus College. Both teams struggled to find their groove in the first half. Though coming into the second half Gustavas was able to find their rhythm and were able to maintain control of the game throughout the second half.
There were multiple times in the second half where it looked like Cortland might have been able to turn the tables and take control of the game, however Gustavas ultimately held a firm grip on the game, defeating Cortland 58-51.
“It really tested us to see where we were at at the time and I think from there we got better.” said Raymond.
While their tournament opponents presented challenges that didn’t stop individual achievements from happening. Coston, a senior guard on the team, was able to score his 1,000th point during the game against Dubuque. Despite the impressive achievement, Coston stayed focused on trying to win the game.
“In the moment, I didn’t really feel anything,” said Coston. “The game was so close and it was such an intense game that I kind of forgot about it and I just wanted to win. But after it was over and my family came up and congratulated me, I was overwhelmed with emotions.”
Following the Florida trip, the Red Dragons returned with a new found sense of focus and determination, along with the desire to win.
Back at home, the Red Dragons responded strongly with two back to back SUNYAC conference wins, defeating Fredonia 70-51 and New Paltz 78-48. Playing in their home court, Cortland showed both their focus and determination to win by controlling both games from start to finish.
“We really just came together as a team and really locked in and focused in on the little things that we needed to fix,” said Raymond.
The trip down to Florida may not have resulted in wins for the team, but it helped them regain the focus they needed to win. Bolstering a now twenty to four record the Red Dragons look to gain their 21st win against Morrisville.