Colts Dominate in Season-Opening Win

TROY, N.Y. – The SUNY Orange men's basketball team opened the 2025-26 season with a convincing 87-72 win over Hudson Valley Community College on Thursday.

Darren McFarlane (Bronx, NY / Monsignor Scanlon) led the Colts with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Marquese Dennis (Brentwood, NY / Brentwood) and Gavin Williams (Fort Myers, FL / Bishop Verot) were efficient offensively, scoring 17 and 15 points on 6-7 and 4-5 shooting respectively. Keishawn Morris (Brooklyn, NY / South Shore) was the fourth Colt to score double digits, totaling 15 points.

Kemontae Thawe led Hudson Valley with 19 points while Julius Reed scored 18 points, and Jacob Baccaro scored 11 points.

Hudson Valley scored on the opening possession of the game, giving them their only lead of the game. Morris knocked down a three-pointer for the Colts on the ensuing possession and the team never trailed again, controlling the scoreboard for the final 39:16 of the game.

The Colts got off to a hot start, taking a 13-4 lead thanks in large part to three steals by Morris in the first two minutes of the game. A layup by Fritz Odige (Lehigh Acres, FL / Lehigh) with 3:11 remaining in the first half extended the Colts lead to 18, their largest of the half. A layup by McFarlane with four seconds to go gave the Colts a 44-32 lead at the half.

Orange shot 55.6% from the field and 100% from the free throw line in the first half and that hot shooting continued into the second half, where the Colts shot a blistering 68.4% from the field and 71.4% from beyond the three-point line.

The Vikings cut the lead to as little as five points in the second half, but the Colts responded to every blow they took. A 17-6 run by the Colts gave them a 19-point lead late in the second half, their largest lead of the game.

The Colts are back in action on Tuesday, November 11^th as they play host to Drew University JV. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.