By: Dustin Kent - JCFloridan.com 

Despite being down to just eight players, the No. 5 Chipola Indians earned one of their most impressive wins of the season Friday night at home, knocking off No. 20 Santa Fe 81-75 in a matchup of the top three teams in the state.

The game was the nightcap of the first day of the Panhandle Classic at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center, but the host team was without its full complement of players, with Jamaar McKay, Dont'e Reynolds, Dejuan Bowers, and Diamond Seltzer all held out in what Indians coach Patrick Blake called a "team decision."

Chipola appeared no worse for wear to start the game, jumping out to a 45-30 halftime lead and maintaining a 16-point edge with eight minutes left in the game.

But the Saints fought back to cut the margin to 10 and eventually got it down to three in the final minute of the game before a pair of Carlos Morris free throws pushed the lead back to five and allowed the Indians to hang on.

"We came out well in the first half, but late in the game with being fatigued just due to the short numbers, I think that got the best of us and we didn't finish out the game in the way we would've liked," Blake said after the game. "But I thought that was the best start we've had to a game all year. Defensively for the first time all year we executed the game plan and did a great job playing together."

Sam Cassell, Jr. had 20 points to lead Chipola, while Demetrious Floyd and Cinmeon Bowers had 18 each, and Morris added 17 points.

Chipola was scheduled to finish out the Panhandle Classic on Saturday night against Brunswick (N.C.) before hitting the road next weekend to take on Eastern Florida State and St. Petersburg on Friday and Saturday in the Florida Shootout in Gainesville.