FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team overcame a slow start to begin the season with a 74-68 victory in the Bobcat Classic against Shippensburg on Saturday evening.
SU began the game with the upper hand, as they scored the game's first eight points before senior Koby Baptiste got FSU on the board three minutes in with a triple. Both teams went cold from the floor for a number of possessions, as freshman D'Yan Carter came up with a stuff on the defensive end, leading classmate Tony Pope to an open jumper that brought the Bobcats within 10-5. Frostburg's defense kept the Raider offense in check during a four-minute scoreless drought, as junior Jaden Baker converted an and-one to pull within two.
Shippensburg finally broke out of their slump with a pair of layups either side of a three to swiftly go back up by nine. After the sides traded free throws, SU enjoyed their largest lead of the half at 11 points going into the second media timeout of the half. Pope led the Bobcat offense with back-to-back lay-ins to get back within seven but a foul gave the Raiders two freebies at the line. Senior JayShaun Freeman caught fire from deep just before the eight-minute mark, making a pair of treys a minute apart.
Keeping the momentum going, junior Manok Lual provided a couple of sparks to the home crowd. He first rose high on the backboard for a monster block, then slammed home an offensive rebound followed by a triple, while Freeman tacked on a jumper to surge ahead to a three-point lead. The Raiders tried to stop the run with a bucket, but Baptiste came right back with a trey and a layup to go up by six. Freeman responded to a Shippensburg make from deep with one of his own, though SU didn't let Frostburg get away, staying within three after back-to-back baskets. Baptiste ended the half by getting away a shot at the buzzer on which he was fouled, putting in both at the charity stripe to end the first half up 38-33.
Baptiste began the second half still on fire, making a trey to push the advantage to eight. FSU held the Raiders without a point for over three minutes until a jumper and layup brought them back within five. After a Baker layup and Pope put in two at the line, Shippensburg scored a quick six points to suddenly get back within three, with Baptiste then going one-of-two at the line and getting a putback to fall.
SU kept up their pressure, converting an old-fashioned three-point play before knocking down a runner in the lane, getting the score to just 49-47. Freshman Kadon Fossett tried to capture some momentum with a steal that led to a dunk from graduate Eric Sondberg, but the Raiders hit right back with a pair of layups to tie the game. Baker proceeded to go one of two at the line before Freeman hit a clutch three inside the final 10 minutes for a four-point advantage.
Each side traded buckets, as Shippensburg was able to make a couple free throws to get back within two before Lual nabbed another offensive board and basket to restore a two-possession lead. Frostburg again turned defense into offense, as Baptiste was the next to keep a possession alive on another putback, while a Freeman steal then led to an easy basket for senior Naphtali Regilus for a 63-55 lead. Regilus then answered a Raider layup with a trey that drew a roar from the crowd.
Baker traded lay-ins with SU, then Regilus continued his breakout game with a triple and fastbreak score to push ahead by 12. With just a minute and a half left on the clock, the Raiders didn't let the game get away from them, scoring a long jumper and a corner three to pull within seven. A couple of FSU turnovers eventually led to a layup with 23 seconds left, as the score stood at 73-68. Baker was able to receive the inbound and draw a foul, going one-for-two at the line, but the final SU three-point miss was grabbed by Regilus as the clock wound down for the 74-68 final.
Baptiste led all scorers with 19 points, including a 3-for-4 mark from deep and a team-high five assists. Freeman wasn't far behind at 15 on the board, while Lual finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, including four on the offensive end.
With the victory, FSU begins the year 1-0, while Shippensburg falls to 0-1. Frostburg will close out the Bobcat Classic on Sunday, November 10 as they host Seton Hill at 2 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
