TAMPA, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team wrapped up their regular season with a dominant 101-84 win over the University of Tampa at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center. The 'Fish showcased their shooting prowess by hitting a season-high 25 of 31 free throws and out-rebounding the Spartans 37 to 26.
Preston Le Gassick led the charge with 22 points, nailing 9-of-15 shots, including three treys, and grabbing two steals.
Tyler Burton notched a double-double with 18 points and a season-high 10 rebounds, also dishing out seven assists.
Christian Kirkland was flawless at the charity stripe, scoring 18 points and pulling down six boards.
Graham Worland chipped in 15 points with three from downtown and seven rebounds.
The 'Fish hit the ground running as Le Gassick opened the game with a jumper. The team kept the momentum going, with the bench adding 7 points. The first half was highlighted by the Sailfish's fast break prowess, adding 6 points, and 20 points in the paint, keeping UTampa on their heels. Notably, the team recorded at least 18 assists for the third straight game.
Defensively, the 'Fish were no slouches, tallying 5 steals and 2 blocks to disrupt UTampa's rhythm. Worland sparked a late first-half surge with back-to-back threes, giving the Sailfish a solid lead. Kirkland's layup just before the buzzer sent the 'Fish into the break up 50-41.
In the second half, the Sailfish came out firing. Le Gassick nailed a three off a Burton assist, pushing the lead to 53-41.
Clay Payne, continuing his scoring streak, added a fast-break layup to increase the gap to 55-41. The 'Fish kept the offensive pressure, with Le Gassick and Worland hitting from beyond the arc, and Kirkland and Burton sealing the deal with clutch free throws and a three-pointer.
The Sailfish capitalized on turnovers and rebounds, with Le Gassick and
Trent McNair making vital steals. Le Gassick's assist to Worland for a layup was a highlight, keeping the Spartans at bay. Despite a late three from Ryan Blount for UTampa, the 'Fish closed out strong, with Burton finishing with a layup and a three-pointer to seal the 101-84 victory.
PBA won the battle of the boards, 37-26. The 'Fish pulled down 13 offensive boards leading to 15 second-chance points.
With the regular season ending, PBA will host the first round of the SSC tournament on Tuesday at 7p.m. as the No. 2 seed. The 'Fish will look to capture the first SSC championship in program history before moving on to regional play.
Today's win caps the most successful regular season since joining the SSC. PBA sits at 24-4 overall and 16-4 in the league. The Sailfish tallied the most wins and most conference wins in the Division II era.
