BOCA RATON, Fla.— The Barry University men’s basketball team picked up a regional win over the West Florida Argonauts in their second game of the Courtyard by Marriott Holiday Classic on Sunday afternoon.
Though the Argonauts (5-6) jumped out to a 4-0 lead, Barry tied it at 12 apiece off a Bryan Van Cott baseline jumper. Moments later, the Bucs (3-6) took their first lead of the game, 17-15 off a pair of Evan White free throws.
A thunderous Willie Whitfield dunk followed by a pair of free throws apiece by Whitfield and Van Cott gave the Bucs their largest lead to that point, 23-15.
West Florida fought their way back into the game, going on a 13-5 run to tie it at 28-28 off a Jamar Moore three-pointer with 5:46 remaining in the first.
The Bucs, however, dominated the final five minutes of the first half going on a 16-8 run which included field goals from White, Whitfield, Bartas Visinkis, and Vladimmir Raymonvil. The Bucs entered halftime up 44-36.
The Argonauts went on a 19-13 run in the first ten minutes of the second half to cut the lead to two, 57-55 with 9:59 remaining in the game.
The Bucs used a 12-3 run over the next five minutes to secure an eleven point lead, 69-58, their largest of the game, with 4:25 remaining. Whitfield and Raymonvil had five points apiece in the run.
Barry held off a late West Florida charge, and went on to win the game 76-68. Whitfield led the Bucs with 23 points, 11 boards, and five blocks. Raymonvil and White both added 13 points for the Bucs while Van Cott had 12.
The Buccaneers return to action on Sunday, January 2 when they visit St. Petersburg, Fla., to take on Eckerd in their second SSC game of the season.
Newspaper Box Score
West Florida vs Barry
12/19/10 5 pm at Boca Raton, Fla. (de Hoernle Center)
At Boca Raton, Fla. (de Hoernle Center)
BARRY 76, WEST FLORIDA 68
WEST FLORIDA (5-6)
Moore, Jamar 8-18 6-7 25; Lewis, Mike 5-17 3-5 14; Connole, Peter 3-4 2-2 9;
Beasley, Terrance 3-3 0-0 6; Mathis, Marquis 2-9 1-1 5; McGhee, Darryl 2-4
0-1 4; White, Keldric 1-2 0-0 2; Griffin, Lendward 1-2 0-0 2; Brazeal, Jamel
0-2 1-2 1; Sims, Anthony 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-61 13-18 68.
BARRY (3-6)
WHITFIELD, Willie 10-10 3-4 23; RAYMONVIL, Vladimir 5-7 0-1 13; WHITE, Evan
3-8 5-6 13; VAN COTT, Bryan 4-10 4-4 12; TRAPP, Zack 2-7 2-2 6; VISINKIS,
Bartas 2-3 1-6 6; BOLANOS, Derrick 1-4 0-0 3; BENDEKE, Julien 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 27-49 15-23 76.
West Florida.................. 36 32 - 68
Barry......................... 44 32 - 76
3-point goals--West Florida 5-14 (Moore, Jamar 3-6; Connole, Peter 1-1;
Lewis, Mike 1-7), Barry 7-20 (RAYMONVIL, Vladimir 3-5; WHITE, Evan 2-7;
BOLANOS, Derrick 1-3; VISINKIS, Bartas 1-1; TRAPP, Zack 0-3; VAN COTT, Bryan
0-1). Fouled out--West Florida-None, Barry-None. Rebounds--West Florida 31
(Mathis, Marquis 6; Brazeal, Jamel 6; Connole, Peter 6), Barry 36
(WHITFIELD, Willie 11). Assists--West Florida 15 (Moore, Jamar 6), Barry 20
(TRAPP, Zack 6; BOLANOS, Derrick 6). Total fouls--West Florida 18, Barry 17.
Technical fouls--West Florida-None, Barry-None. A-98