FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  - Ross Reeves scored 29 points, including the game-tying three to send it to overtime, Dallas Graziani added 23, and Ryan Davis added 20 points as #1 Nova Southeastern won the 2026 SSC Tournament Championship in a 92-85 thriller over #12 Palm Beach Atlantic. The Sharks trailed by five with less than a minute remaining in regulation before Reeves' heroics and won its fifth consecutive SSC title.

"I'm really proud of the way our team competed today. To win five straight conference tournament championships is very difficult, and something our players during that stretch of time should be very proud of," head coach Jim Crutchfield said. "Our guys have built a championship culture here, and the energy from the crowd made today even more special. The support from the Nova Southeastern University community means a lot to this program and our players."

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Ross Reeves, Nova Southeastern - Tournament Most Valuable Player
Dallas Graziani, Nova Southeastern
Ryan Davis, Nova Southeastern
Preston Le Gassick, Palm Beach Atlantic
Graham Worland, Palm Beach Atlantic
Marko Serenac, Barry University



Score: #1 Nova Southeastern 92 | Palm Beach Atlantic 85
Records: #1 Nova Southeastern 27-1 19-1 (SSC) | Palm Beach Atlantic 26-5 (16-4 SSC)
Location: Crutchfield Court at Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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The Sharks drew first blood, as Ross Reeves hit a jumper to give them a 2-0 lead, but the Sailfish took the lead on a trey from Preston Le Gassick. The score was tied over the next few minutes, but Ryan Davis hit a layup to push the lead out to 11-5. The Sailfish began whittling the deficit down, and they only trailed by one after a layup from Christian Kirkland with 11:09 remaining. The Sailfish took their first lead of the game on two free throws from Jakob Hester, but Jaxon Nap hit a layup to snatch the lead right back. PBA's Blake Wilson hit a layup to tie the score at 21 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.

PBA took a 25-21 lead on a layup from Jakob Hester, but the Sharks fought back and tied the score at 28 on a jumper from Dallas Graziani with four minutes remaining. Davis scored a putback, but Graham Worland drilled a jumper to tie the game at 30. Wilson converted an and-one with just under 30 seconds left, but Reeves drilled a jumper just before the buzzer, and NSU trailed 33-32 at the break. 

Early in the second half, Bennett Kayser scored a putback to tie the score at 37. The Sailfish took a five-point, 44-39 lead on a three-pointer from Graham Worland and later stretched the lead to 50-41 with 12:56 remaining. Not to be outdone, NSU stormed back with a 9-0 run spanning less than two minutes. Reeves converted an and-one and a jumper; Bobby Rosenberger III then got a steal and bucket, and Eli Allen got another strip-and-score to tie the game at 50, forcing a Sailfish timeout.

Both teams continued trading blows, and neither team could gain much separation. Blake Wilson hit four straight free throws to go up 61-57 at the 5:44 mark, but the Sharks tied it up moments later on a layup from Ryan Davis. The Sailfish got back-to-back threes from Worland and then Tyler Burton to go up 70-65 with 3:20 left. Le Gassick split two free throws, but Graziani hit a jumper before Reeves knocked down two free throws to cut the deficit to 71-69 with 2:09 left.

Le Gassick hit a jumper to push the lead to 73-69 with 55 ticks remaining, and Wilson scored a putback with just 12 seconds left in regulation to go up 75-70. Ryan Davis put back a missed three-pointer to cut the deficit to 75-72 with only five seconds left in regulation, and Jaxon Nap fouled to extend the game and put PBA at the line.

With 4.4 seconds left, Jakob Hester missed the front end of the one-and-one, and NSU's Jamie Qualley collected the rebound. Reeves received the outlet pass, pulled up just inside halfcourt, and drilled the game-tying three-pointer to tie the score at 75, sending the game into overtime and the Shark faithful into a frenzy. 

The Sailfish went ahead by four in overtime, but the Sharks countered with a jumper from Graziani and four free throws to tie the score at 79. Worland drilled yet another trey and Wilson hit two more free throws to go up 84-83, but Graziani hit a go-ahead three from the corner to go up 86-84, and the Sharks never trailed again. The Sharks closed the game from the free throw line, and they won their fifth SSC tournament title by a score of 92-85. 



Ross Reeves: 29 points, four rebounds
Dallas Graziani: 23 points, nine assists
Ryan Davis: 20 points, five rebounds
Jaxon Nap: 12 rebounds, nine points

QUOTABLES

"Our men's basketball program continues to demonstrate sustained excellence. The dominance this team showed throughout the regular season—especially the incredible success at home—reflects the commitment and championship mindset of our student-athletes and coaches. We are proud of the standard they continue to set for Nova Southeastern University."  — Harry K. Moon, M.D., President, Nova Southeastern University

"Five consecutive conference tournament championships, along with five straight regular season titles, is an extraordinary run of success. This team continues to define excellence for Sharks basketball, and we are proud of the consistency and championship culture they represent at Nova Southeastern University."  — Ryan Romero, Interim Director of Athletics, Nova Southeastern University.

The Sharks capture their fifth straight Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championship and move to 27-1 on the year (19-1 SSC). They'll now await pairings from the NCAA Selection Show tonight at 11:00 PM. You can watch the Selection Show HERE. To stay up-to-date with Sharks Men's Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_MBasketball.