ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Oneonta women's basketball team bested Hamilton in a back-and-forth contest for a 59-52 victory and were crowned the 2025 Oneonta & Hartwick Classic tournament champions, Saturday afternoon in Dewar Arena. Heading into the fourth quarter tied, Hamilton started the period with six unanswered points, then Oneonta retaliated and ended the game with a 19-6 run in the final 5:41. The Red Dragons improved to 3-1 overall with the win, while the Continentals suffered their first loss of the season and moved to 4-1.

Senior Lidia Boucher (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) led the team and shot 4-for-10 from the floor, 2-for-3 from three, for 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals. It was Boucher's first career double-double. Junior Carlie Young (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville Central) had foul trouble early on however she recorded nine points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11 points and seven boards. Freshman Tyalia Fret-Thom (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) came off the bench and scored 11 points, shooting 3-for-4 from deep, with four rebounds and two steals.

Young was named the tournament's MVP and joined Boucher on the All-Tournament team. Young averaged 21 points, shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three-point land, 10 rebounds, and a steal in the tournament's two games. Boucher averaged 11.5 points, with two three-pointers in each game, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals during the Classic.

Junior Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) and Young traded baskets with Hamilton in the opening period before Zoe Myslewicz scored on a second chance basket to put the Continentals ahead 7-4 at 2:54. Fret-Thom drained a pair of three-pointers, both off an assist from Desrats, to give the Red Dragons a 10-7 lead at the end of the first.

Hamilton started the second quarter with a 10-3 stretch to go up four, but Oneonta answered with a 10-2 run to take a 23-19 lead with 2:03 remaining. Desrats started the run with a lay in off the glass, then Boucher knocked down a couple of treys before junior Maddie Hoy (Canton, NY/Canton Central) capped it off with a pair at the line.

Hamilton's Taylor Lambo made a pair at the line following Hoy, however freshman Addy Eckert (Bloomville, N.Y./South Kortright) knocked down a midrange jumper to maintain their four-point advantage, 25-21, entering halftime.

The Red Dragons held the lead and made it an eight-point game after a pair of three-pointers from Fret-Thom and sophomore Kendall Mack (Cortland, NY/Cortland) put them up 39-31 at 2:42. Lambo brought the Continentals back into the game with seven points during a 9-1 stint that tied the game at 40 heading into the final quarter.

Hamilton got out to a 46-40 edge with 6:33 to play after Althea Hill scored two at the line, and Kendall Harris made a pair of jump shots. Oneonta weathered the short storm and went on a game-ending 19-6 run for the win. Young led the stretch with nine points, while Eckert totaled six points, and Boucher had four points and a key block with 30 seconds remaining that held off any chance of a comeback.

Desrats finished with eight points, six rebounds, the game-high six assists, and three steals. The Red Dragon point guard has averaged 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists through four games this season. Eckert totaled eight points, six in the fourth quarter, and four rebounds.

Harris finished with 18 points and eight rebounds for Hamilton, while Lambo had 16 points, eight rebounds, and four steals. Lambo was later named to the All-Tournament team. 

Oneonta shot 32.1 percent from the floor, 38.9 percent (7-for-18) from deep, and 80.0 percent from the free throw line, while Hamilton shot 31.8 percent from the field, 10.5 percent (2-for-19) from three-point range, and 88.9 percent from the line. The Red Dragons outrebounded the Continentals, 44-32, and finished with a 13-2 advantage in fast break points.

Oneonta's next game is on the road on Friday, December 5, against New Paltz for the start of SUNYAC play at 5:30 pm.

All-Tournament Team 
Carlie Young (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville Central) (MVP) - Oneonta 
Lidia Boucher (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) - Oneonta 
Taylor Lambo – Hamilton
Marissa Nudd - Eastern Connecticut State 
Macy Durkin - Hartwick  Read Full Article