The start of the SPC Men’s Basketball season has been a little rough for Head Coach Earnest Crumbley. The Titans find themselves 3-11 after running up against some of the toughest teams in the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA). While the team has been competitive, foul trouble and costly turnovers have caused them games down the stretch. Added to that, the Titans have had to overcome several injuries to key players such as Jaden Ezomo, Samuel Pinder, and Dumitri William.
On Saturday, the Titans were up against a team that finished runner-up in the Florida College Systems State Championship last year and entered Saturday’s game #6 in the state. With Ezomo and Pinder back from injuries, the Titans had the depth needed to take on Pioneers of Indian River State College (IRSC). The depth for SPC was a key factor in the pace of the game as Coach Crumbley was able to play an up-tempo style and keep fresh legs in to maintain high defensive intensity throughout the contest.
Heading into half time behind 37 to 36, the Titans came out in the second half clicking on all cylinders going on a 13-3 run capped off by an Ezomo 15-ft jumper with 13:10 left in the game. Ezomo (Syracuse, NY) led all scorers with 25 points, 10 Rebounds, and shooting 2-3 from beyond the arc. The Titans also received a much-needed boost from sophomore Branco Balingate who showed how dominate he can be in the post. Balingate finished the game with 15 points and 12 rebounds but most important, he provided a defensive presence in the paint that slowed down the powerful front court of the Pioneers. SPC had 4 players in double digits (Ezomo, Balingate, Meo, B. Williams) in the 68-65 win.
The Titans have an 11-day break and will be back in action on Friday, December 30th as they take on the Miami Dade Sharks for the last of a three game series. Following the game against the Sharks, SPC will enter conference play and make a run to qualify for the FCSAA State Tournament in Niceville, Florida in March.
