WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team hosted Florida National in a Saturday afternoon matchup in Rubin Arena.

The action on the court was physical, with both teams featuring stout defenses. The Sailfish offense started slowly, but the Sailfish (3-0) got their offense going by getting the ball into the paint and finishing around the rim. The Conquistadors (0-5) made a run late to try to steal the game from PBA, but the 'Fish iced the game at the foul line to win 80-71.

Joshua Ward led the Sailfish offensively, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds, shooting an efficient 7-for-10 from the floor. Jamaal Walker finished with 14 points and four rebounds. Alvin Tumblin Jr. scored 12 points with five rebounds, including a 5-for-5 performance at the charity stripe.  Tyler Burton provided a spark off the bench, recording 11 points with two steals. Jakob Hester tallied a double-double, totaling 10 points and 12 boards with three assists. Jose Roberto Tanchyn played well, notching 10 points with six rebounds.

Florida National caught the Sailfish off guard to start the game, leading the opening portion of the game while PBA tried to get going offensively. As the half began to wind down, Walker, Tumblin Jr., and Burton helped the Sailfish grab the lead. Walker converted on a fast-break layup, followed by a bucket from Tumblin Jr. and a 3-pointer from Burton to make it 21-17 with six minutes to go in the half. A 7-0 run from PBA, including four straight points from Walker helped the Sailfish build a 33-25 lead at halftime.

The Sailfish outshot FNU in the first half but struggled from beyond the arc going 2-for-14. PBA owned the glass in the first half, outrebounding FNU 25-18. Walker and Tumblin Jr. led the 'Fish at the half with eight points each.

While PBA led the entirety of the second half, the Conquistadors refused to go away easily. FNU remained within striking distance for most of the half. Ward produced some offense to start the second half, helping PBA build a double-digit lead. A second-chance layup from Walker seemed to put the game away, making it 72-57 with just over four minutes to play; however, that was the last field goal of the game for PBA. A pair of 3-pointers got the visitors back into the game, cutting the deficit to five with 1:03 to play. Fortunately for the Sailfish, PBA was near perfect at the free throw line to put the game away 80-71.

PBA's defense held the Conquistadors below 40 percent from the field and forced 15 turnovers, leading to 16 points from the Sailfish. The 'Fish finished with 54 points in the paint compared to 22 for FNU. The Sailfish won the battle of the boards, 45-28.

The Sailfish compete again on Wednesday when they travel to Rollins for their first SSC matchup of the season. The game in Winter Park, Fla. is set for 7:00 p.m.