With only four players returning from a team that finished 21-8 last season and coming within a game from making the NCAA Division III tournament, the Oswego State men's basketball team came into the 2008-09 season wondering if they would be able to maintain that up-tempo play.

Only seven contests into the 2008-09 campaign, it's been business as usual for Head Coach Kevin Broderick M '92 and the Lakers -- thanks in large part to the play of Tommy Downing '09 and Kyle Reuter '09.

Downing and Reuter are the lone returning starters from a team that reached the championship game of the SUNYAC Playoffs and the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Upstate New York Championship last season. Along with a talented group of newcomers and transfers, the duo has helped Oswego to a 5-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in conference play.

A tough loss to SUNY Geneseo on a last-second, improbable buzzer beater actually gained the team some national exposure as the incredible Geneseo basket made the highlight reel on ESPN "SportsCenter."

Reuter and Downing also have reached or are approaching historic career milestones. Reuter, the team's leading scorer entering the semester break, became the 13th player in school history to score 1,000 career points in the second game of the season. He currently ranks 10th on the all-time scoring list with 1,107 points.

Downing is the team's second-leading scorer this season with 132 points. He has 992 career points, only eight shy from becoming the 14th Laker in school history to reach the 1,000-point mark.

Reuter and Downing weren't the only Lakers putting up historic numbers this half. Stanley Francois '10 became the first player in 41 years to grab 24 or more rebounds in a game Dec. 6. Francois recorded 26 rebounds and 26 points for a double-double in the fourth-best single game performance in school history.

-- Mark Coley and Brian Croce '11

PHOTO CAPTION:
Kyle Reuter '09 and Tommy Downing '09



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