In front of a rambunctious home crowd, the Bobcats fell behind early. North Country’s Malik Wilkinson threw down a huge dunk early on, but the crowd-silencer was countered when PSC’s Garrett Woodmansee drained a 3-pointer a few seconds later.

Wilkinson later tied the game up at 80 apiece on free throws with two minutes left in regulation, but the score went back and forth and was tied for much of the last couple minutes. Wilkinson put a rebound back through the hoop to put the Saints up 86-82, and NCCC held the lead for the last minute of play. Wilkinson ended up with nine points in the game.

“I think we stopped defending a little bit. They made a few shots and got their confidence and realized they could play with us, and from then on it was whoever had the ball last,” Saints coach Daryl Crist said after the game. “They played well, and we had to play our best to get by them.”

“It was pretty exciting,” PSC coach Dominique Boone said. “They killed us down low. Our guys played hard. We’re young, and we’re continuing to grow. We have all freshman and two sophomores who didn’t get much experience last year. But we’re here, we’re ready to go.”

North Country’s Malik Wilkinson, right, drives to hoop against Rich Duviver of Paul Smith’s during the first half of Tuesday’s game in Paul Smiths. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Play was tight throughout the game, as both teams played solid defense and had explosive offensive bursts. NCCC was better under the basket, but PSC countered by having solid outside shooting.

Bobcat freshman Kris Carroll sank a 3 early on, and PSC quickly scored seven unanswered points to pull within two before NCCC called a time out to stop the bleeding just a few minutes into the first half. After the timeout, Woodmansee drained another 3 to put the Bobcats up 14-13.

The lead went back and forth as the teams traded a one-point advantage, but the Bobcats started to pull away, gaining a seven-point lead with just over a minute to go in the first half. But North Country’s Grant Webb was fouled on a three-point attempt and sank all three free throws to bring the Saints back within three going into halftime.

North Country kicked off the scoring in the second half and retook the lead when Tyquan Pointer made a 3-point basket to put the Saints up 47-46. In fast-paced basketball, the two teams spent most of the second half within a point or two of each other.

NCCC gave itself a little cushion with a five-point lead with seven minutes gone in the second half and Damon Hunter upped the Saints’ outside game providing a steady threat from outside.

PSC regained the lead by one after Jovan Hammond made a hard drive to the hoop to put PSC up 62-61. Hammond had another huge play just a minute later, taking the ball end to end and sinking a layup while also drawing the foul. He missed the free throw, but PSC kept up the pressure and went up by three on an outside shot from Carroll.

The Bobcats went up five on the Saints after Rich Duvivier, who led scoring for the Bobcats with a team-high 32, made all three free throws stemming from a Saints foul. Hammond followed Duvivier in scoring, putting away 18 points.

The Bobcats had more fouls on the Saints, and NCCC pulled back within one on free throws with just over three minutes left in regulation.

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NCCC women top Bobcats

The NCCC women topped the home team Bobcats 74-23 in the first game of the evening Tuesday.

PSC junior Alexis Best led the Bobcats, draining a 3 early on, but the Saints overtook the lead and continued to grow it throughout the game, ending the first half up 38-13.

NCCC’s D’Amonte Cancel came up with a huge block, and added eight points to the team effort. PSC’s Paige Farrington tossed up a few 3s, but only sank one. She contributed five to the Bobcats’ total.

NCCC played grittier, faster-paced basketball that sometimes left the Bobcats flat-footed. The Saints came up with some key pass interceptions and steals that helped them pull out the win.

“We kept battling, we kept scrapping,” Boone, who coaches both the men’s and women’s teams, said. “They have great attitudes and they’re always looking to get better. So we’ll just keep grinding and get better every day.”

Saints women’s coach Jerrad Dumont was pleased with his team’s effort in the lopsided win.

“I’m glad we came out hard, I’m glad we came out ready to play,” he said. “I think we shared it well. We need to know our plays a little bit better, but we were able to play all 13 kids.

“I think we saw some open looks. We’re fairly athletic (and) we try to use our athleticism as much as we can.”