By: Brooks Tait - JCFloridan.com
Junior Saintel and the Chipola Indians impressed the home crowd with a win over the Motlow College Bucks last night, 111-95. Saintel had 35 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Dejuan Marrero with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Jackson County's own Ty Baker with 22 points and 8 rebounds.
With 13 minutes left in the first half, the game was tied at 13, but the Indians went on a 6-0 run thanks to two assisted dunks by Baker. The furthest the lead would stretch in the first half was 7, the Bucks coming back to within 1 with 7 minutes to go. Clint Nwosuh would hit a 3 for Motlow, but Saintel answered back on the other side to take control again. Yet still the Bucks fought, going into the break down by only 3, 45-43.
Five minutes into the second half, the Indians sprung out to make it 64-52 after a 10-3 run, and the Bucks would be kept at bay from then on.
"I'm really proud of our guys. Motlow College has an unbelievable team, one of the best backcourts in the country. They came into this game 11-1, and we've obviously been a little wounded. So I was really proud of our guys out there finishing," said Patrick Blake, head coach for Chipola.
About Saintel and Baker's performance Blake continued, "It was the tempo of the game. They were really able to get some good looks in transition. I thought our defense really sparked some offense for us."
With this win, the Indians will head into Christmas break, coming back on Dec. 29 to face East Georgia in the Gulf Coast Classic in Panama City. Following that tournament, conference play will begin at home against Pensacola State at 7:30 p.m.