CORTLAND, N.Y. – Junior Jesse Winter (Rockville Centre/South Side) scored 20 points and distributed six assists and junior Jeremy Smith (Bronx/Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy) scored 18 points as Cortland defeated Plattsburgh, 75-60, in the SUNYAC tournament quarterfinals.

Cortland improved to 20-6 on the season to reach the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2007-08 season. The Red Dragons, seeded second, will face third-seeded Geneseo in the semifinals Friday at 6 p.m. at Oswego. The host and top-seeded Lakers will play fourth-seeded Brockport Friday at 8 p.m., with the championship game set for Saturday at 4 p.m., also in Oswego.

Winter and Smith each hit 3-of-6 three-pointers. Winter finished 7-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line, while Smith was 5-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from the line. Junior Brian Manning (Elmira/Southside) added 12 points and six rebounds and sophomore Kevin McMahon (Hoosick Falls) finished with nine points, six rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots.

Ketema Brooks led Plattsburgh (8-18) with 14 points and eight rebounds. John Perez scored 10 points and handed out three assists, while Shavar Fields and Mike Mitchell scored eight points apiece.

The teams were tied 32-32 at halftime. Plattsburgh scored the opening basket of the second half, but Cortland responded with a Manning three-pointer with 19:23 left to take a 35-34 lead and the Red Dragons led the rest of the game.

The Cardinals, however, were still within two points, 56-54, after a John Moody three-point play with 7:10 remaining. Winter hit a foul shot with 6:58 left and junior Harrison Hefele (Greenlawn/Friends Academy) scored off an assist from senior Nick Sutedjo (Webster/Webster Schroeder) with 6:27 left to put Cortland up five. Hefele finished with six points and six boards and Sutedjo had seven points and two assists.

Two possessions later, Winter rattled home a three-pointer with the shot clock about to expire to give Cortland a 62-54 lead. Manning then recorded a steal and eventually converted a baseline jumper off a Sutedjo feed to put the Red Dragons ahead 64-54 with 3:30 left. Cortland’s lead remained at least seven from that point. The Red Dragons scored the last seven points to create the final 15-point margin.

Cortland will play in the SUNYAC semifinals for the fifth time since 2004. The Red Dragons are looking to advance to the championship game for the first time since 2001 and are seeking their first title since 2000.

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