#7 Chipola With a Late Comeback to Top #6 Tallahassee State in a Thriller
Chipola moves into 1st place in the conference!
The No. 7-ranked Chipola College men's basketball team delivered its biggest win of the season Wednesday night, outlasting No. 6 Tallahassee State College 89-86 in overtime to extend its winning streak to five games and secure a berth in the Panhandle Conference Championship.
Playing at home inside the Milton H. Johnson Health Center, the Indians showed resilience in a back-and-forth battle that featured 10 ties and multiple lead changes before Chipola pulled away in the extra period.
Chipola (89) edged Tallahassee State (86) in overtime after the teams were deadlocked at 77 at the end of regulation. The Indians outscored the Eagles 12-9 in the final five minutes to seal the statement victory.
Balanced Attack Powers Chipola
Sophomore guard Peyton Wiggins led the way with 19 points, six assists and two steals, knocking down two three-pointers and converting key free throws down the stretch. Desmond Kent Jr. matched Wiggins with 19 points of his own, adding 11 rebounds for a double-double while playing a game-high 39 minutes.
Bryson Berry contributed 14 points and four assists, while Yann Kouakou-Aphely provided a major spark off the bench with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and four blocks in 22 minutes.
Chipola's presence on the glass proved pivotal. The Indians dominated the glass behind 11 rebounds each from Kent Jr. and Hedrens Bartelus, along with 10 boards from Aaron Richard. Chipola dominated the offensive glass with 23 offensive rebounds, creating second-chance opportunities that helped offset a tough night from beyond the arc (2-of-16 from three).
Grit in Overtime
After trailing 32-33 at halftime, Chipola battled through a tightly contested second half. Down 9 with just over a minute to play Chipola made pivotal plays to fight their way back into it down the stretch. Desmond Kent made two late freethrows to send it into overtime.
Chipola shot 46.2 percent from the field overall (36-of-78) and finished with 19 assists, 10 steals and nine blocked shots in a complete team effort.
Most importantly, the win secured Chipola's spot in the upcoming Panhandle Conference Championship and marked the program's fifth straight victory at a critical point in the season.
With postseason play on the horizon, the Indians are peaking at the right time — and Wednesday night's win over a top-10 opponent proved they are more than ready for the challenge ahead.
Chipola Travels to #8 Northwest Florida State Saturday at 4PM CT to play for the Panhandle Conference Championship.