ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia men's basketball team dropped its contest against Oneonta, 89-74, Saturday afternoon.

Junior Ian Helps (Bronx, N.Y./Greater New York Academy) was the leading scorer for the Blue Devils with 18 points along with six rebounds. Nicc Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster) and Dante Williams  (Buffalo, N.Y./Hutch Tech) finished with 14 points apiece. Richard De La Cruz (Washington Heights, N.Y./Norman Thomas) netted nine points. 

Oneonta (13-8, 10-4 SUNYAC) opened up the game on a 14-6 run. Layups from Helps and Williams helped bring the Devils back within four. Fredonia trailed by as much as 11 in the first half, 40-29, after Oneonta's Lawrence Coleman converted two free throws with 3:03 on the clock.

De La Cruz (Washington Heights, N.Y./Norman Thomas) ignited a 7-0 run with a finish in the paint and two buckets from Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster), cutting the deficit to four, 40-36. The Dragons responded and extended their lead back to 10 before the break, 48-38, after a layup from Frank Kelly capped first-half play.

With 9:14 left to play in the second half, the Devils went on an 8-0 run capped off by a three-point play by Helps to make pull within two, 68-66. However, Oneonta scored the next seven and never looked back. The Dragons closed the game on a 21-8 run.

Oneonta was paced by Coleman who finished with 28 points and eight rebounds. Guard Mikey McElroy finished with 20 points. 

Fredonia shot 53 percent (29-of-55) from the field compared to Oneonta's 57 percent (35-of-62). 

The loss drops the Blue Devils overall record to 9-13 and 6-9 in the SUNYAC. The team is back in action Friday February 12th as they play host to Oswego State. Tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.





.