By: Dustin Kent - JCFloridan.com

The Chipola Indians used a 17-2 game-ending run to rally past the Pensacola State Pirates for a 61-52 victory on Tuesday night at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center.

Sam Cassell, Jr. led the Indians with 18 points – 14 in the second half – including six big ones during the decisive run, converting a three-point play after a turnover to put Chipola up three with three minutes to play, and moments later knocking down a three-pointer to make it 58-52.

Dont'e Reynolds also added 16 points and Demetrious Floyd 14 for the Indians, who improved to 18-2 overall and 4-1 in the Panhandle Conference.

After the game, Chipola coach Patrick Blake said he was proud of his team's resiliency in coming back from a 50-44 deficit with five minutes left playing without its three suspended players for the second straight game.

"We hung in there. The guys never got down and we kept plugging away," he said. "The guys really dug down deep."

Chipola was again without Jamaar McKay, Cinmeon Bowers, and Torian Graham, who remain indefinitely suspended following their arrest last week.

The Indians responded in their first game without the trio with a big home win Saturday over Northwest Florida State to assume sole possession of first place in the league standings.

They solidified that spot with Tuesday's performance, and Blake said that he is happy with how his remaining players have handled the situation.

"I think it has really brought us together," he said. "We've talked about how adversity reveals character and the guys have shown that so far. Guys are embracing the opportunity and finding a way to come together and get wins. It's just something we have to continue to adapt to and overcome."

Chipola did it Saturday with great shooting and big-time scoring efforts from Cassell, Jr., Floyd, and Carlos Morris, with the three sophomores combining for 64 of the team's 86 points.

They combined for just 42 points on Tuesday – Morris finished with 10 points – but Reynolds stepped up with 16 points and seven rebounds, and the Chipola defense was able to limit Pensacola State to 33 percent shooting for the game and only seven total free throw attempts.

"We've taken more pride in our defense and rebounding (in the last two games)," Blake said. "I thought (the Pirates) were able to get a little comfortable against our zone, which made us stagnant on offense. But in the last four minutes being down six, we really had no choice but to go to our (man-to-man defense) and that helped us get some steals and get in the open court."

The Pirates shot poorly from the field but still made 11-of-23 from the three-point line, with Oskars Reinfelds converting 5-of-8 and scoring a game-high 20 points.

Reinfelds made four triples in the second half, including three in a three-minute stretch that turned a 42-33 deficit into a 44-42 lead with 7:01 remaining.

Kevin Baker then tripled and Reinfelds hit another long-range shot moments later to make it 50-44 with 5:05 left.

It was 52-47 Pirates after a driving finish by Reinfelds, but Chipola quickly raced back up the floor and got a dunk for Reynolds, and a straightaway three from Floyd tied it up with 3:13 to play.

Floyd came up with a big defensive play on the next Pensacola possession, poking the ball away from behind and then finding Cassell, Jr. in transition for a finish and a foul.

After another Chipola stop, Floyd hit Cassell, Jr. in the left corner for a three that gave the Indians 11 straight points in just over a minute of action.

A pair of free throws by Morris made it 60-52 with 1:16 to play and the Pirates failed to score again after Reinfelds' drive with just under four minutes remaining.

Pensacola State dropped to 2-3 in the conference and 14-9 overall.

Chipola will return to action Saturday with a big Panhandle road game against Gulf Coast State (14-7, 2-2) at 7:30 p.m.