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Hartwick College Athletics

Robby Lucas - MBB
Hartwick Athletic Communications
82
Winner Hartwick Hart 1-0,0-0 Empire 8
78
SUNY Cobleskill Cob 0-1,0-0 North Atlantic
Winner
Hartwick Hart
1-0,0-0 Empire 8
82
Final
78
SUNY Cobleskill Cob
0-1,0-0 North Atlantic
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Hartwick Hart 39 43 82
SUNY Cobleskill Cob 41 37 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Hawks Rally Past Cobleskill to Open Season with Road Win

COBLESKILL, N.Y. – The Hawks opened their 2025–26 campaign on the road, matching up with the Fighting Tigers of SUNY Cobleskill in a back-and-forth battle. Behind a balanced team effort, 'Wick powered past the Tigers to secure a strong season-opening win.

 

THE BASICS

  • Final Score: Hartwick 82 Cobleskill 78

  • Location: Cobleskill, N.Y. | Iorio Gymnasium

  • Records: Hartwick (1-0, 0-0 Empire 8) SUNY Cobleskill (0-1, 0-0 NAC)

 

BY THE NUMBERS

  • The first year tandem of Robby Lucas, Kesean Leonard and TJ Etienne combined for 50 points with Lucas leading the way with 21.

  • Hartwick enjoyed a strong second half, shooting over 50% from the field and beyond the arc.

  • The Hawks picked up their first win over the Cobleskill Fighting Tigers since 2017.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED 
The first years wasted no time making an impact in their collegiate debuts. Kesean Leonard (Rochester, N.Y.) found Robby Lucas (Clarks Summit, Pa.) for a three-pointer to open the scoring before Leonard followed with a jumper of his own. Empire 8 Player to Watch Samaj Barnwell (Stockbridge, Ga.) added his first points in the Blue and White, slamming home a dunk off a feed from Leonard.

Cobleskill responded by seizing momentum and building a double-digit advantage midway through the first half. With under ten minutes remaining, the Hawks began to chip away, attacking the paint and turning up the defensive pressure. TJ Etienne (Boynton Beach, Fla.) sparked the rally with seven straight points—including an old-fashioned three-point play—before a steal and score from Leonard trimmed the deficit to one. A late Cobleskill triple gave the hosts a slim cushion heading into halftime.

Coming out of the break, Robby Lucas set up Barnwell for a three-pointer to reclaim the lead, and the duo continued to click throughout the second half. Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.) drilled a fastbreak triple off a steal from Cosmo Hardinson (Larchmont, N.Y.) to push the Hawks ahead by four, forcing a Cobleskill timeout. Lucas followed with back-to-back threes to extend the lead to ten, but the Tigers roared back with a 12–0 run to go up late.

With under eight minutes remaining, Malachi Polson (Bay Shore, N.Y.) buried a clutch three to put 'Wick back in front. The teams traded buckets down the stretch before Lucas sank another big-time triple to regain the one-point edge with five minutes to play. Key late finishes from Keegan Paolillo (Clearwater, Fla.) and Xymier Thomas (Binghamton, N.Y.) sealed the deal as the Hawks earned a gritty road win to open the season on a high note.


UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will prepare for the annual Battle of the Hills, going head to head with the Red Dragons at SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, November 12th at 7:30 PM.

 

About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.

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