Panthers Look Promising in Exhibition against St. Kitts, 84-71

Alvin Tucker led the Panthers with 23 points Saturday versus St. Kitts in exhibition play. Photo by Richard Flutie.

MELBOURNE, Fla. (Men’s Basketball) – Florida Tech’s men’s basketball team officially tipped off its preseason Saturday as the Panthers played host to the St. Kitts national team in exhibition action in the Clemente Center. Tech trailed for less than five minutes and ultimately posted an 84-71 victory over the visitors.

Florida Tech held a 47-34 lead at halftime, thought it was the visitors that registered the early advantage in the match. St. Kitts led by as many as seven at 9-2, but the Panthers came charging back on the shoulders of Alvin Tucker and Justin Sedlak, who wrapped up the opener with 13 points apiece.

The Crimson and Gray stretched their lead to 16 with just over five minutes to go in the first on a beautiful lay-in by Mete Guray from Sedlak on the fast break. St. Kitts cut it back to single digits at 39-30 when Dane Rawlings got the ball from Rymal Browne and laid it in with 2:17 to go. However, Tech pushed the lead back out to 13 twice before the halftime buzzer, including on the last trip down the court as Tucker pulled up for the jumper to make it 47-34.

St. Kitts was scrappy and never let the game get completely out of reach in the second half. Rookie Julius Reid fired a three-pointer at the 14:30 mark to make the score 56-41, but St. Kitts cut it back to a 10-point game later on when a triple by Browne made it 67-57 with 6:45 remaining.

Reid gave the Panthers their largest lead of the game at 82-65 on the 11th trey of the day by Tech with under two minutes to play. The visitors wouldn’t go down without a fight though, pulling off a three of their own with eight seconds left for the final score, 84-71.

Tucker paced the Panthers with 23 points and 12 rebounds, adding three assists and as many steals. Sedlak rattled off 21 points and an impressive four blocks, while Demetrius Harvey had 13 tallies and Reid chipped in with 11 in his debut.

Rawlings led all players with 31 points and Levi FyField had 15. Both teams struggled handling the ball as St. Kitts turned it over 23 times and Tech amassed 19 errors. The Panthers also shot over 53 percent, while holding St. Kitts to 39.3 percent.

Florida Tech’s final exhibition match of the preseason is slated for Friday, Nov. 13, at Florida Atlantic. The Panthers and Owls tip off at 7 p.m. Tech opens its regular season with the annual Tip-off Classic in Clemente Center on Sunday, Nov. 15. For a full schedule, check the men’s basketball page at floridatechsports.com.