Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern men’s basketball team kicked off the Loop Pizza Grill Classic with a tight game against the No. 6 Alabama Huntsville Chargers Friday in Valdosta, Ga. but lost, 85-79.

The Sharks were led by senior guard John Brooks (Perris, Calif.) who scored a team-high 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field. He also chipped in four rebounds and two steals. After averaging 9.5 points over the first four games, Brooks has scored 39 points combined over the Sharks’ (3-3) last two outings. Ross Allsop (Sr., Sydney, Australia) brought down a game-high six rebounds and scored 14 points.

NSU came out and brought the fight right to the undefeated Chargers (8-0). Despite trailing 5-0 at the start of the half, the Sharks went up 21-16 with 10:21 remaining in the first half, the team’s biggest lead of the game. The Sharks would go on to be outscored 26-16 over the remainder of the half but did lead by four points with four minutes left.

The Sharks shot 37.5 percent from the floor and 54.5 percent from the free throw line in the first half while being outrebounded, 24-16. However, the Sharks traded the lead throughout the half by taking care of the basketball (4 TO’s) and scoring 13 points off UAH turnovers. Alex Gynes (Sr., Nowra, Australia) scored six points and gathered four rebounds in the opening half.

The Chargers jumped out to a nine point lead within the first four minutes of the second half but could not runaway with the lead. The Sharks kept their deficit to single digits for most of the second period but trailed by 12 points with 6:16 remaining, the Charger’s largest lead of the game. NSU answered back by going on a 12-2 run, cutting the score to a single possession.

With 2:53 on the clock, the Sharks had possession of the ball down by two points but coughed up the ball and immediately fouled. The Chargers returned by knocking down both free throw shots and a three over the next two minutes. The Chargers went on to close the game out at the foul line despite Max Papendieck’s (Sr., Adelaide, Australia) six points over the final minute and a half of the game.

Robert Huntington (Jr., Perth, Australia) dished out a team-high three assists. Papendieck and Lukas Roesch (So., Sugar Grove, Ohio) both scored 11 points.

The Sharks will conclude the Loop Pizza Grill Classic Saturday, Dec. 4 against the host school, Valdosta St. at 8 p.m.