Union College's Deshon Burgess registered a game-high 33 points guiding the Dutchmen to edge Hobart College 71-67 In the Liberty League Basketball Tournament championship game played this afternoon in the Union's Viniar Athletic Center in Schenectady, N.Y.
 
The Statesmen, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, finished the season with a 16-11 overall record. The Dutchmen are now 16-10 this year and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. It's Union's first conference title since 2005.
 
Sophomore Colin Dougherty led the Statesmen with 27 points. He added four rebounds and two steals. Senior Pete Dresher also reached double figures in scoring with 15 points. He shared a team-high with five rebounds and added two steals and two assists. Hobart shot 39.5 percent from the floor.
 
Burgess added a game-high five assists and grabbed five rebounds for Union. Greg King logged 12 points and seven boards. Wade McNamara produced 10 points, collected a game-high 11 rebounds and notched three blocks. The Dutchmen shot 41.2 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Burgess, the tournament MVP was joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammates Greg King and Wade McNamara. Dougherty and Drescher represented Hobart and Riley Naclerio of St. Lawrence also earned a spot on the team.
 
After the first points of the game came from a King three 59 second in, Hobart went on a 12-2 run and led 12-5 at 16:03 after a three pointer by Dougherty. Union went on a 10-0 run led by two threes by McNamara over a span of 2:42 for a 15-12 lead. The largest lead of the first half was seven by Union at 32-25 with 5:34 to play. Burgess had 13 at the half and McNamara had 10 with nine boards, while Dougherty scored 15 and Drescher 13 in the first 20 minutes.
 
After trailing 35-32 at halftime, Hobart took the lead on a layup by first-year Tucker Lescoe just under three minutes into the second half and did not trail until 1:42 left in the game. The Statesmen opened up an eight point lead at 53-45 with 11:39 to go after a Dougherty layup. It was a six point lead at 57-51 with 9:01 left after a Matt Walsh layup, but Union got two straight three pointers by Kevin Weckworth to tie it at 57-57. Hobart went on another run, this one at 7-1 for a 64-58 lead with 4:22 to play. Luke Ruddy had five points in that run.
 
Burgess connected on two free throws for Union with 1:42 left in the game, putting the Dutchmen ahead 65-64. Another free throw by Burgess gave the Union a two point lead, but Dougherty answered for the Statesmen making a layup and his free throw after being fouled to give Hobart a 67-66 lead. However, Burgess struck again this time with a three-pointer to put Union on top 69-67 with 16 seconds remaining. Burgess made two free throws in the final seconds to secure the win for the Dutchmen.