SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior guard
Brian Scordato (Mt. Kisco, NY/Horace Greeley) scored a game-high 21 points and host Union opened up the Liberty League season with an 88-71 men's basketball victory over Skidmore at the Viniar Athletic Center Tuesday night.
The Dutchmen improved to 8-4 overall (1-0 Liberty), while the Thoroughbreds are now 3-8 and 0-1.
Despite early foul trouble, senior guard
John Cagianello (Wethersfield, CT/Loomis Chaffee) finished with 16 points in 26 minutes for the Dutchmen, while
Darcy Bonner (Chicago, IL/Loyola Academy) had a team-high six rebounds. Scordato converted eight of 11 free throws and also dished out a game-high six assists.
Four players hit in double-figures for Skidmore, led by senior guard Greg Gallagher (North Haven, CT/North Haven), who scored 19 points, pulled down six rebounds, and made 7 of 11 at the line. Senior guard Reed Juckett (Wellesley, MA/Wellesley) had 17 points and Jonah Haviland-Markowitz (Brooklyn, NY/Packer Collegiate Institute) added 14.
Union shot 54% for the game, and led 40-30 at halftime. The Thoroughbreds shot 44% for the night. Trailing 42-32 with 19:18 remaining in the second half, Skidmore pulled to within five at 48-43 with an 11-6 run in 3:20. But the Dutchmen scored five straight and got it back up to 10. Up 55-50 with 13:44 left, Union went on a 9-2 run for a 64-52 lead with 10:11 left and led by as many as 20 (83-63 with 2:58 remaining).
Union plays Friday, January 13 at Clarkson at 8 p.m. while Skidmore is at St. Lawrence Friday night at 8 p.m.
