Cobras play in Liberty tournament

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Coker mens’ basketball team traveled to Virginia for the holiday weekend to face their third and fourth Division I opponents of the 2008-09 season in the Liberty Thanksgiving Classic.

The Cobras fell in game one to the host Liberty Flames by a score of 88-66. Liberty was led by Seth Curry, son of former Charlotte Hornet Dell Curry, who had 22 points.

Coker had a bad day shooting as they were only 39.3 percent from the floor, including 10 of 33 from three-point land.

Josh Poston led the Cobras with 13 points, while Stevie Evans added 12, and J.C. Hafner chipped in 11.

On day two of the tournament, the Cobras faced some controversy as they face the South Carolina State Bulldogs.

During the first half, the Cobras hit a three-pointer that gave them a 26-23 lead, according to head coach Dan Schmotzer.

Those points, however, would be later taken away.

Once Schmotzer noticed the score had been changed, he spoke with the scorer and the referees conferred. However, the official scorer had no record of the shot and no points were awarded.

And the Cobras fell by two points on a Bulldog shot in the final seconds of the game 66-64. Schmotzer said, however, the box score had Coker ahead 67-66

Coker forced 23 Bulldog turnovers and led by as many as 11 points during the game.

“Did (the missing points) lose the game?” Schmotzer asked on Tuesday, “I don’t know. But it was really, really frustrating.”

The Cobras do not have an official scorekeeper, and the game had no courtside monitor, so the ruling by the official scorekeeper will stand.

Poston led the Cobras again in the second game with 16 points and four rebounds, while Vatrick Thompson added 15 points and three rebounds. Lukas Varga added 14 points and eight assists in the effort, while Coker’s leading scorer, Mason Ambler, was held to five points.

“It was an unbelievable tournament,” Schmotzer said. “It was an honor to be invited, and it is an outstanding experience for the kids.”

The Cobras (3-4) return to the floor today as they travel to Wilson, N.C., to face conference foe Barton College at 7:30 p.m.