Chipola's Monster Second Half Knocks off Top 10 Northwest Florida State
Chipola Pulls Away Late to Defeat Northwest Florida, 78–69
MARIANNA, Fla. — Chipola College used a strong second-half performance to pull away from #9 Northwest Florida State College, earning a 78–69 win Saturday night at The Milt.
The Indians trailed by three at halftime, 36–33, after a tightly contested opening 20 minutes. Northwest Florida shot efficiently early, while Chipola stayed within striking distance behind balanced scoring and strong work on the glass.
Coming out of the break, Chipola turned up the intensity on both ends of the floor. The Indians outscored Northwest Florida 45–33 in the second half.
Aaron Richard led all scorers with 16 points while adding seven rebounds, providing a steady presence inside. Demarco Middleton Jr gave Chipola a big lift off the bench, finishing with 13 points and knocking down both of his three-point attempts. Hedrens Bartelus recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Chipola dominated the rebounding battle, finishing with a 43–30 advantage, including 16 offensive rebounds that consistently created extra possessions. The Indians also capitalized at the free-throw line, shooting nearly 79 percent compared to Northwest Florida's 54 percent.
With the win, Chipola continues to build momentum as conference play rolls on, showing resilience and execution when it mattered most.
The Indians will travel to play at #7 Tallahassee on Wednesday at 6:30 pm CST.