The Hamilton College Continentals posted a runner-up finish in their men’s basketball tournament, losing 77-69 to Eastern Connecticut State in Sunday’s Hamilton College Invitational championship game. The Warriors are ranked 14th in the latest D3hoops.com national poll.
Box score
Eastern Connecticut (4-2 overall), who trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, opened the second period with an 8-3 run to retake the lead before going ahead to stay on a three-point basket with 14 minutes left.
The Warriors pushed their lead to double digits, opening up a 62-52 advantage with 5:58 to go before Hamilton rallied. The Continentals (3-2) ran off a 9-2 stretch; Jack Donnelly ’16 and Jack Dwyer ’18 hit three-point baskets on consecutive possessions before a three-pointer by Kyle Pitman ’17 pulled the hosts to within 64-61 with 4:06 left.
Eastern Connecticut held Hamilton to one basket over the next 3:46, outscoring the Continentals 10-3 in that span, punctuating the stretch with a Hugh Lindo dunk in the final minute.
Dwyer led Hamilton with 14 points and five assists. His jumper with 4:04 left in the opening half gave the Continentals their biggest lead at 11 points (29-18).
Eastern Connecticut’s Tarchee Brown was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading all players with 22 points and eight rebounds. He added four assists and a pair of steals while making a team-leading four of the Warriors’ eight three-point baskets.
Lindo and Trachone Preston joined Brown on the all-tournament team. Preston scored 20 points and contributed five assists; Lindo made six of his seven shots from the floor on his way to a 16-point, seven-rebound performance.
Peter Hoffmann ’19, who represented Hamilton on the all-tournament team, finished with 10 points, four assists and a team-high six rebounds. Donnelly added 10 points off the bench.
In Sunday’s consolation game, Hartwick defeated SUNY Cobleskill 96-80. Joey Lufkin and Trevor Norton of the third-place Hawks rounded out the all-tournament team.
The Continentals play a non-league game at SUNY Polytechnic Wednesday at 7 p.m.
