Temple Terrace, FL – The Webber International Men's Basketball team traveled to Temple Terrace Friday night to take on the Florida College Falcons. The Warriors were up at the half but were unable to hold onto the lead as Florida College caught fire from three, making eight in the second half, as Webber fell 68-65.
Khalyl Simmons hit the first shot for Webber, a three-pointer to give Webber a 3-2 lead. Both the Falcons and the Warriors played suffocating defense in the first half, with multiple scoreless streaks from both teams. Orlando Thomas scored the next basket for the Warriors, this time a two. Simmons was sent to the charity stripe, where he made two free throws. Jordan Golden made a free throw before Zachary O'Callaghan made the first how his three first half layups. O'Callaghan made another layup before a jumper from Florida College ended the Warriors 9-0 run with the score at 12-6. Jaylin Bain scored got his first points of the game after a steal leading to a fast break layup. Thomas and O'Callaghan each made their next shots before Montreal McCullough and Ethan Taylor found the bottom of the net. Two free throws from Thomas ended the half for Webber as the Warriors led the Falcons 24-17 heading into the half.
Both teams came out firing in the second half, as Taylor made a quick three in response to a two from the Falcons. Gabriel Sorensen made his first basket of the evening on a three, while Golden hit a layup for two more. A three from Simmons put the Warriors up by 12 at 35-23. The Falcons quickly responded with eight straight points to shrink the Warrior lead to 35-31. Sorensen and Thomas both made baskets before another make from Simmons made it 41-35 Webber. Simmons was fouled on three-point attempt, where he sank all three. A steal by the Warriors set up McCullough for a fast break layup, while two straight makes from Bain made it 50-45. After an offensive board from Sorensen, O'Callaghan laid in another shot for two. Simmons hit another tough jumper in the paint to keep the Warriors ahead 54-50. Back-to-back threes from the Falcons, including an and-one free throw, put Florida College ahead by three, 57-54. After being fouled on an inbound pass, Golden made one of two from the free throw line, but his points were immediately counteracted by two more Falcons three-pointers. Thomas made two free throws to bring the deficit down. The Warriors fouled to bring the Falcons to the line, where they made both. With 23 seconds left, Thomas was fouled on a three, sinking all three shots to make it 65-60 Florida College. After sending the Falcons to the line again for two shots, Thomas got an offensive rebound off a Simmons miss, sinking a three, to make it 67-63. Another Falcon sent to the line missed the first of his one-and-one, with Thomas streaking down the court and making a layup to make it 67-65 Florida College. After another foul, the Falcons missed the first of two free throws in the double bonus. The Falcons sank the second one and immediately called a timeout, leading by three with three seconds on the clock, 68-65. A controversial travel was called on Simmons, and the clock ran out with Webber down 68-65.
Thomas led the team with 18 points while going 7-8 from the free throw line. He also added three assists and eight rebounds. Simmons was the next leading scorer with 15 points, going 5-5 from the charity stripe and making two threes. O'Callaghan had eight points and three steals, while Bain was the leading scorer off the bench with six points and two assists.
The Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday, December 10th when they travel to NCAA Division II Lynn University for an exhibition.
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