WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Another game, another comeback for the Nova Southeastern University men's basketball team. On Saturday, the comeback ended in a win over Palm Beach Atlantic.
 
The Sharks (8-11) trailed by 10 with 13:13 to go, and 12 with 10:59 left, 64-52. In a physical and chippy game that featured five combined technicals and an ejection (at that 13:13 mark), NSU bore down over the final 11 minutes to outscore the Sailfish (11-8) 27-14 to end the game for a 79-78 win.
 
Though NSU was up four at the break, PBA led all throughout the remainder of the contest after a half-opening 11-0 run. That is until with 1:34 left, when Chris Page (Sr., Plainfield, Ind.) hit his first 3-pointer of the night, giving the Sharks a 76-74 lead. Almost immediately, Derick Yepes of the Sailfish answered with a '3' of his own, pushing the home team back ahead, 77-76.
 
The Sharks missed a couple of open looks on their end to try to regain the advantage, sandwiched around a PBA turnover. After the second NSU miss, with 25.8 seconds left, PBA's Dakota Zinser was fouled, but he could only make 1-of-2 from the line.
 
That set up Page again, and he came through. With just 13 seconds left, it was another 3-point goal for the Shark senior and, one more time, a one-point lead. PBA would miss a 3-point attempt but get the offensive rebound. But 1.2 seconds wasn't enough time for them to get off a shot as the Sharks took the road win.

"I couldn't be more proud of my assistant coaches, Jordan Fee and Marquise Kiffin, and our team," said head coach Gary Tuell. "Coach Fee and Coach Kiffin gave the players positive leadership and direction, and the guys were just great following instructions and playing their tails off when we were down and struggling."
 
Page scored 17 of his team-high 24 after the break, while Harrison Goodrick (Jr., Sydney, Australia) continue his recent tear with his third straight double-double (and fourth in seven games). He was 8-of-14 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free throw line, scoring 23 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Troy Spears (So., Martinsville, Ind.) made three 3-pointers in the opening 2:02 and four in the game towards a 14-point effort.

"I thought this was Chris Page's finest game of the season," said Tuell. "He ran our team, moved the ball, and got everyone involved. And when his teammates needed him to put them on his back at the end, he did it. Harrison Goodrick and Mike Chalas (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) were terrific, and Troy Spears was huge at the start of the game, making big shots to ignite us.

"With Casey Carroll (R-Jr., Youngstown, Ohio) and BJ Edwards (So., Fort Myers, Fla.) out, and then losing Dwayne Gibson Jr. (Fr., Indianapolis, Ind.), we were shorthanded, but the guys who played were great. The freshmen gave us a lift. It was a heck of an effort by the players and the coaches. We needed the win, but more importantly, we needed to win playing the right way, as a team. We did that."
 
Bakari Warthen was PBA's scoring leader with 25, along with eight rebounds. Malek Barber scored 16 and also had eight boards.
 
The Sharks host Florida Tech next, on Wednesday night. Tip will be at around 7:30 p.m. at the NSU Arena following the completion of the women's game. The Sharks defeated FIT on their home floor in Melbourne earlier this year, 88-83.