FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team closed out their 2024 home season with a narrow 86-82 victory over Concord, holding off a second half comeback attempt by the visitors.
 
Both teams were efficient from the floor for the first two minutes, with only two missed shots leading to a 6-4 FSU lead after sophomore Vilius Slanina put back his own layup attempt. The next two featured cold shooting from the floor until Slanina was found by junior Jaden Baker for an easy score, with the latter then hitting from deep to break an 8-8 tie.
 
Junior Chase Whippen kept the momentum going by rising highest to reach a tip-in make, being fouled in the process to compete the three-point play, then Frostburg's full-court press took effect. Baker swatted away a Mountain Lion shot, leading to a senior Koby Baptiste dunk, then redshirt junior Justin Roseme came up with a quick steal, feeding the former for an easy lay-in for an 18-8 advantage. CU responded by scoring the next four, but the Bobcats hit right back with a corner three from freshman Christopher Meakin being found by Roseme.
 
Concord split a pair at the line, then Baker and Roseme each got into the paint for tough baskets to grow FSU's largest lead up to 25-13. The Mountain Lions were able to settle back in with a couple free throws and a layup, but Frostburg threw a couple more punches with Baker driving the lane and Baptiste muscling in for an and-one with the advantage now at 14. CU worked their way back into the game by forcing a trio of Bobcat misses at the rim, allowing them to cut the deficit in half to 31-24 after three freebies and a pair of layups.
 
Baker got Frostburg going again, then Whippen provided another momentum builder with his second old-fashioned three-point play to get back to a 12-point lead. Concord again could only split a trip to the line as Baptiste took advantage of another foul on a make, though this time a Mountain Lion three quieted things for the next minute. Baptiste went perfect at the charity stripe in the final two minutes, with Baker then going coast-to-coast on another and-one to surge ahead by 15, but a CU triple in the final 30 seconds put the halftime score at 44-32.
 
The Mountain Lions burst out of the gate to start the second period, making two from deep in the first minute followed by a layup in transition to suddenly get within four in 90 seconds. Whippen and Baptiste tried to quell the momentum with back-to-back buckets, but CU couldn't miss from the floor, making it eight consecutive trips without a miss and grabbing a shocking 50-48 lead after an 18-4 run.
 
Roseme helped get FSU back in the saddle with back-to-back treys, regaining a two-point advantage on assists from Baker and redshirt senior Naphtali Regilus. Baker then took over the offense with Frostburg's next seven points, leading to a 61-54 advantage before three straight Concord baskets brought things back to a one-point game. It then was Baptiste's turn to take a stronghold of the game, converting a pair of three-point plays either side of a drive to the rim, with Whippen then getting a putback to go down for a 71-62 lead.
Baker and Baptiste both scored in the paint, but a three-minute drought allowed the Mountain Lions to get back within five inside the final four minutes. Continuing to find ways inside, Baker put another home before Whippen came up with a huge pair of plays, swatting away a CU shot then finding Roseme underneath for a smooth reverse layup and a nine-point lead.
 
Concord didn't let up the fight, making a pair of freebies then forcing a Bobcat turnover, taking advantage of missing the front end of a one-and-one, then laying in another basket to get within 79-74. After back-to-back FSU misses, Whippen once more proved the difference on the defensive end, coming up with two consecutive blocks as the shot clock wound down on the Mountain Lions, as Baker was able to control and get fouled for a trip to the line.
 
He was able to knock down both, then kept his cool after a Concord three with another pair of makes, but momentum swung back to the visitors after a layup plus a foul brought them back within three with 37 seconds on the clock. After another quick foul, Baker could only make one of two, with CU then driving the length of the court to cut within 84-82. Roseme was the next to get fouled, as he showed his nerve to make it a two-possession game at 86-82. The Bobcats forced a Mountain Lion miss from three, then ran down the court with possession to tick the clock down the final few seconds for the four-point victory.
 
Baker led all scorers with 28 points, with Baptiste not far behind at 26 with seven boards, including a whopping five on the offensive end. Whippen (13) and Roseme (12) each reached double figures, with the former nabbing a team-high nine rebounds and four blocks, while the latter had a game-high three steals.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 3-7, already matching their 2023-24 win total, while Concord drops to 3-5 on the year. FSU finishes out the calendar year on the road Sunday, December 15 at Glenville State, with tip time set for 4 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.