Box Score Boxscore - Pictures

OLD WESTBURY, NY (www.oldwestburypanthers.com) – The SUNY College at Old Westbury men's basketball team will have a chance to claim the Skyline Conference Championship on Saturday evening after defeating the Maritime Privateers in the semifinals, 61-46, on Friday evening at the Clark Athletic Center. The win is Old Westbury's fifth straight and moves the Panthers to 20-6 while Maritime dropped to 19-8. Old Westbury will play No. 3 Purchase for their first conference tournament title since 2003-04. Tip off for Saturday's conference championship is slated for 7 p.m. in Old Westbury. Old Westbury's 20th win on the season tied a career-best for coach Bernard Tomlin, who reached the 20 win plateau in his first season as a head coach in 1986-87 at William Paterson where he went 20-9.

After Maritime jumped out to a 23-15 lead with 6:15 remaining on the first half clock. Old Westbury responded with a 13-1 run to close out the opening half, capped off by a three-pointer by Kristopher Afum with 1:23 left as Old Westbury took a 28-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Maritime scored the first points of the second have off a layup by Justin Bright to bring the Privateers within two, 28-26. Old Westbury countered with a 14-4 run off a three-ball by Hakiem George to put his team up by 12 with 12:31 remaining. Maritime's Justin Bright went on a 10-1 run to pull within three, 43-40 with 7:28 on the second half clock. Old Westbury closed out the final 5:42 with an 18-6 offensive spurt to advance to the conference championship.

Lester Prosper recorded his third straight double-double (seventh of the season), combining 15 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five blocked shots (season-high) and three-steals (season-high) in 36 minutes (season-high). Hakiem George followed with 14 points, connecting on 4-of-5 from three-point range and nabbed three steals. Kristopher Afum went for 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting while Patrick Bonna rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, hitting on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Shane DeNully handed out a game-high four assists. Hilton Sneed contributed five points, three rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal off the bench.

For Maritime, Justin Bright scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half in addition with six rebounds and three steals while Andre Cooper posted a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 10 boards.

The Panthers ended the night shooting 45.7 percent (21-of-46) from the field as Maritime finished 31.5 percent (17-of-54). Old Westbury went 8-of-13 from three-point range and pulled down 25 rebounds on the game, and Maritime went 3-of-15 from three-point land and grabbed 37 rebounds. Maritime cleaned 15 boards off the offensive glass and Old Westbury had four. Those 15 offensive rebounds for Maritime were turned into 16 points. Old Westbury converted 22 turnovers into 14 points while Maritime turned 17 Panther miscues into eight points. Old Westbury held a 10-7 margin in steals and edged the Privateers with a 12-4 assist margin.

Please visit www.oldwestburypanthers.com for more information on men's basketball or any of the other Panther athletic teams.