FARMINGTON, MAINE – The SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball team weathered the early storm and stayed within striking distance in the first half, but top-seeded UMaine-Farmington used a decisive second-half surge to pull away for a 94-63 victory in the North Atlantic Conference Semifinals on Sunday afternoon, bringing the Tigers’ 2025-26 season to a close.
Emilio Nabli (Brooklyn, NY) paced Cobleskill with 13 points, two rebounds and two assists, consistently attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line, where he went 6-of-9. Cameron Rhode (Elmira, NY) added eight points and four rebounds, while Daniel Penubothula (Valley Stream, NY) provided a spark off the bench with eight points and four boards in just 15 minutes. Conor Holland (Marathon, NY) also chipped in eight points off the bench, and Andrew Wright (Berne, NY) controlled the glass with a team-high six rebounds.
Cobleskill shot 32.1 percent from the field and 15.6 percent from three-point range, while UMaine-Farmington connected at a 43.8 percent clip overall and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Beavers also controlled the rebounding battle, 55-44, converting that edge into a 20-12 advantage in second-chance points. Both teams valued possessions - Cobleskill committed just nine turnovers compared to 10 by UMF - and the Tigers held a narrow 32-30 edge in points in the paint. The bench was a bright spot, outscoring the Beavers’ reserves 29-24.
Farmington set the tone early, opening the game on an 8-0 run in the first two minutes. The Tigers settled in after a triple from Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY) cut the deficit to single digits, but the Beavers responded with a 10-1 run to extend theirlead to 24-7 midway through the first half.
Facing a 43-24 deficit late in the half, Cobleskill mounted an impressive 13-3 run over the final four minutes. Holland and Penubothula knocked down key three-pointers and finished in transition to trim the margin to 46-37 at halftime, giving the Tigers momentum heading into the break.
Cobleskill carried that energy into the second half, as Rhode finished inside to make it a seven-point game at 50-43 with 17:45 remaining. However, that’s when the Beavers seized control. UMaine-Farmington erupted on a 35-4 run over the next 11 minutes, stretching the lead to 85-47 and creating separation with efficient shooting and strong work on the glass.
Despite continuing to compete down the stretch, the Tigers were unable to slow the Beavers’ offensive rhythm as UMF secured the 94-63 semifinal victory.
The loss concludes the Tigers’ 2025-26 campaign with a 12-14 overall record and a 10-8 mark in conference play. Cobleskill reached the conference semifinals for the third time in four seasons and will transition to the SUNYAC next year, closing out its final season in the NAC with another postseason appearance.