SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Tournament Most Valuable Player Nick Osarenren led all players with 19 points and 11 rebounds as Hamilton College held off Union College by a 50-47 score in the championship game of the 2021 Sig Makofski Invitational, held on Sunday afternoon at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Osarenren had the game's only double-double on the day, hitting 9-of-15 shots from the field and also adding four steals and three blocks for the Continentals (3-3). He was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammate Teja Singh with 13 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute.
 
Union senior Mike Manley earned a spot on the All-Tournament team after leading the team with 17 points on Sunday, while Mount St. Vincent's Jeremiah Simmons and Morrisville State's Brison Hall also earned All-Tournament honors.
 
Sunday's title bout was a defensive slugfest between two evenly matched teams, with neither team able to get many uncontested looks at the basket. Union (2-2) limited Hamilton to just 19-of-61 shooting (31.3 percent) from the field, including a 3-of-22 mark from beyond the arc, but the home team could only hit at a 33.3 percent clip (16 of 48) at the other end.
 
The Continentals earned the victory on the glass, as the team corralled 18 offensive rebounds that led to 24 second-chance points, compared to seven offensive boards and eight second-chance points for the Dutchmen.
 
The visitors jumped out to a 10-2 lead five minutes into the contest, but a layup by junior Willy Samsen jump started a 10-0 Union run and neither team led by more than two possessions the rest of the way. Manley added five points and junior Connor Cepiel added a three during the run for Union. The Dutchmen led for most of the first half after that, with senior Brian Noone sinking a late three to put Union up 25-22 at the half.
 
The home team led for the first portion of the second half, with a jumper by senior Temi George making the score 33-31 with 13:42 left. However, the Dutchmen went more than eight minutes without a point, as Hamilton ran off eight straight points to take a 39-33 lead with 7:19 remaining. The Dutchmen missed all nine shots during the stretch, but they stayed in the game by limiting the Continentals to 2-of-13 shooting at the other end.
 
Hamilton still led by six with 1:58 on the clock before Manley responded with a three to halve the deficit. After a defensive stand, Manley hit another three and was fouled, sinking the subsequent freebie to put Union up 44-43 with 44 ticks left; however, Singh came back and drained a corner three of his own to give Hamilton a 46-44 lead with 32 seconds remaining. Despite a late Manley three, the home team came up one possession short of a comeback.
 
Union will begin Liberty League play next weekend, starting with a Friday night matchup with St. Lawrence University at 7:30 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.