Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Starting the season off on a good note, the Eckerd Triton's Men's Basketball team (1-0) secured their first victory of the season in their season opener against the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (0-1). With a constant lead throughout the game, the Triton's defeated the Sailfish by 30 points, making the final score 87-57.
Starting the night off right, senior Triton
Zaronn Cann won the jump ball and took the ball down court to obtain the game's first layup.
“It just showed us that it was time to go,” Cann says about winning the jump, “we got that jump and I think that was just the ignition switch for everybody.”
Cann led the Tritons with 21 points on nine of 10 attempts from the field, while junior
John Harper and sophomore
Wayne Sears followed with 15 and 13 total points, respectively.
The Tritons had several fastbreak opportunities that proved to be decisive, channeling positive energy for the team. In the first two minutes of play, senior
Lewis Lampley took defensive rebound and charged down the court, dunking the ball for two more points.
Coach
Tom Ryan explains that such fastbreak baskets “are exciting for the crowd, and when the crowd gets excited, it helps us, it gives us more energy. The crowd gets up, which gets us higher up, it's just like a snowball effect.”
The crowd turnout for the season opener, a very sizeable 821, was definitely energetic and excited for the start of a new season. This buzz gave the Tritons the extra energy they needed to grasp the lead and hold onto it throughout the game. Holding off the Sailfish throughout the first half, Ryan explains that the way Palm Beach Atlantic plays, “there is no safe lead,” so during the half he told his team, “guys, these guys aren't going away, we need to make sure we keep playing hard.”
In the second half, Harper made three three-point baskets after the team making none overall in the first half. With two minutes left to play and the Tritons ahead by 17, freshman Jeremy D'Amico got to play for the first time in his collegiate career. In the last 37 seconds, D'Amico hit a three-pointer, his first collegiate basket, sealing Eckerd's 30-point victory.
Overall, Eckerd shot 51.6 from the field while Palm Beach Atlantic shot 32.7. Chris Joseph led the Sailfish in points with 11 total.
The Triton's will return to action at the Turley Athletic Complex on Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. against Florida Memorial.
