Box Score
Site: NSU Arena (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Final Score: Nova Southeastern 87, Goldey-Beacom 85
Records: Goldey-Beacom (1-4), Nova Southeastern (2-0)
Next GBC Event: Saturday, Nov. 24 vs. TBA | 5:30 p.m. | NSU Arena (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Goldey-Beacom at Nova Southeastern Box Score: HTML
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Senior forward
Iran Hollis (Hollywood, Fla.) scored a career-high 30 points and added 10 rebounds as Nova Southeastern University (2-0) held off a late rally from Goldey-Beacom College (1-4) to earn an 87-85 victory over the Lightning in the first game of the 2012 Nova Southeastern Thanksgiving Classic at NSU Arena on Friday evening.
With the victory, the Sharks will advance to the NSU Thanksgiving Classic Championship Game on Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. while Goldey-Beacom will play in the consolation game at 5:30 p.m.
Led by five points from Hollis, the Sharks sprinted out to a quick 8-0 lead in the opening two minutes of the first half. But, the Lightning answered by going on a 14-5 run to take a 14-13 edge with 13:22 remaining in the stanza on a pair of free throws from junior guard
A.J. Picard (Souderton Area H.S./Skippack, Pa.).
After the teams traded a field goal and a pair of free throws, the Sharks used an eight-point spurt to claim a 25-18 advantage with 9:08 remaining in the period. However, the Lightning narrowed the margin to 27-25 by scoring seven of the next nine points over a three-minute span.
The Sharks put together a four-point spurt to extend their lead to 31-25 before the Lightning answered by scoring eight consecutive points, including four points from sophomore guard
Charles Jackson (Brandywine H.S./Wilmington, Del.) to take a 33-31 lead with 3:21 left in the first half.
But, a 12-3 run by the Sharks to end the period gave Nova Southeastern a 43-36 advantage at the intermission.
The teams opened the second half by trading seven-point runs before junior guard
Jacob Reid (Perth, Australia) upped the Nova Southeastern cushion to 54-43 with back-to-back lay-ups.
Following a five-point run by the Lightning, the Sharks scored 7 of the next 11 points for a 61-52 advantage with 9:28 remaining in regulation. But, the Lightning responded by scoring 13 consecutive points, including five points from Jackson, to regain a three-point lead with 5:54 left in the stanza.
The teams traded baskets three times before back-to-back three-point baskets from sophomore guard
Stian Berg (Baerum, Norway) gave Nova Southeastern a 76-73 cushion with 2:25 remaining.
A pair of free throws by Picard narrowed the margin to 76-75 with 1:47 left, but the Sharks made 11 of 12 free throws in the final 90 seconds to secure the victory.
In leading the Sharks to the victory, Hollis made 11 of 16 shots from the floor and converted seven of eight free throws. Meanwhile, Berg contributed 13 points with four assists and two rebounds.
Picard scored a career-high 24 points in a losing effort for the Lightning, making 7 of 13 field goal attempts along with all six of his free throw attempts. Jackson made 7 of 11 shots from the floor en route to a career-high 15 points with six rebounds and four assists.
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