Farmingdale, N.Y. - The men's basketball team entered the playoffs as the #1 seed after posting a 14-2 record in conference play this season. The Rams defeated #4 Purchase in the Semifinal round 87-72, before producing a come-from-behind, buzzer-beating victory in the Skyline Finals game against Sage, 77-75, to earn the Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
In the Tournament, the Rams traveled to face #6 Middlebury College. Looking for the upset, FSC held a four-point halftime advantage but eventually fell by nine, 84-75. Farmingdale State finished their remarkable season 20-8 overall.
The Rams had three All-Conference honorees. Sophomore forward George Riefenstahl (Bayport, N.Y.) was named First Team All-Conference, sophomore guard Ali Mableton (Brentwood, N.Y.) earned Second Team honors and senior forward Weldon Irvine* (Queens, N.Y.) was tabbed Skyline Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Riefenstahl led the team in scoring (12.6 ppg), field goal percentage (.571) and blocks (51). He was also second on the team in rebounding (9.7 rpg) to Irvine who tallied 9.8 per game. Both Riefenstahl and Irvine anchored an FSC defense that ranked sixth in the Nation in rebounds per game, seventh in rebounds and eighth in field goal percentage defense.
Mableton led the team in steals per game (1.6) and was second on the team in both scoring (12.0 ppg) and field-goal percentage (.545). Sophomore guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) averaged 10.8 PPG off the bench for FSC.
Farmingdale State had one graduating senior this year.
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