FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Junior
Ian Helps (Bronx, N.Y. / Greater New York Academy) scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the Fredonia men's basketball team fell 75-57 on Saturday afternoon to Plattsburgh. Fredonia split its weekend conference series, and falls to 1-1 in the SUNYAC and 3-4 overall.
Fredonia jumped out to a 7-1 lead. Helps scored the game's first four points, and after a Plattsburgh free throw,
Richard De La Cruz (New York, N.Y. / Norman Thomas) nailed a three.
Plattsburgh then went on a 19-2 run for a 20-9 lead. The would never trail after that.
By halftime, Helps had 14 points on five of six shooting from the floor and was four of five from the line with a game high seven rebounds. Plattsburgh's Jonathan Patron led the Cardinals with 14 points and six boards as his team held a 37-29 lead.
Fredonia closed the gap a minute into second half. A layup by Helps made it a six-point game, 37-31. Trailing by nine at the 11:11 mark following a pair of free throws by
Justin Tapper (White Plains, N.Y. / White Plains), Plattsburgh rattled of the next nine points for an 18-point lead, its biggest of the game to that point, 59-41.
Helps aggressive play got him the foul line 13 times en route to his 20 points.
Nicc Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y. / St. Mary's of Lancaster) added 12 points and five rebounds.
Plattsburgh, last year's SUNYAC regular-season champs, improve to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference. They were led by Patron with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Eric Mack added 15 points.
The Devils continue SUNYAC play next weekend when they travel to Oswego and Cortland.