FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (March 7, 2009) Nick
Wolf and Zach
Pancratz each posted double-doubles to lead second seeded
Rollins to a 75-67 win over third seeded Nova Southeastern in the
semifinals of the BlueCross BlueShield of Florida Sunshine State
Conference Championship, Saturday night.
Rollins (20-9) will face top seed Florida Southern in the SSC
Tournament Championship game Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Nova
Southeastern's "Shark Tank."
SSC Player of the Year Wolf notched a game-high 19 points and
snagged 11 rebounds while Pancratz added 16 points, 10 assists and
three steals. Craig
Reichel, behind a 4-for-7 night from beyond the arch, added 17
points for the Tars.
John Brooks netted 15 points off the bench to pace Nova (16-11)
with Tim Coenraad chipping in 14.
The Tars shot 48 percent (15-of-31) from beyond the arch and hit
for 46 percent (22-of-48) from the floor. The Sharks were 23-of-50
(46 percent) from the field.
Rollins was outrebounded 33-29 in the game, but forced 13 Sharks
turnovers while committing just eight miscues.
"We executed very well tonight and I couldn't be happier for our
guys to be playing in tomorrow's championship game," said Tars head
coach Tom
Klusman. "We shot very well the entire night and the defense
was great. Nova is a very dangerous team from outside and we did
what we had to do to win the game."
Ross Allsop hit a layup on the Sharks first possession, but Wolf
answered with a three on the Tars next trip down the floor to take
the lead, which they would not relinquish the entire evening.
Rollins was raining three's to start the game as six buckets from
long range put the Tars ahead 18-10 halfway through the opening
period.
After Nova pulled to within three, Reichel connected from long
range, followed by a Pancratz layup and another Reichel bomb, to
put the Tars up 33-22 with 90 ticks left. Pancratz and Brooks
traded 3-pointers in the waning seconds as Rollins took a 36-27
lead into halftime.
Wolf came out on fire in the second half, hitting a jumper and
three straight 3-pointers that made up a Tars 11-2 run and putting
them ahead 47-29 with 17:42 to play. Nova then subbed all five
players and slowly chopped into the lead, pulling to within eight
at the 6:41 mark. Kevin
Hogan answered with a 3-pointer on the Tars next possession to
keep the Tars ahead by double digits heading into crunch time.
The Sharks would get to as close as six in the final minute, bur
Rollins made good from the free throw line to earn the right to
play in Sunday's championship game.
"Nick (Wolf) and Zach (Pancratz) both had great games tonight
and led us on the stat sheet, but it really was a complete team
victory," added Klusman. "Every guy we ran in and out of the game
did their job and did it well. Craig (Reichel) stepped up and hit
some big shots in the first half and had some key blocks and took a
charge in the second that kept the momentum in our favor."
Rollins and Florida Southern split in the regular season with
each holding home court advantage. Tip off is slated for 3:30 p.m.
from the Shark Tank on the campus of Nova Southeastern in Ft.
Lauderdale. Fans can catch all the action live on the Citizens Bank
of Florida Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com.