Gaffney Contnues Scoring Surge In Loss To #6 Sailfish

 Jackson Gaffney scored 18 points on Saturday at Rubin Arena in West Palm Beach. The fourth straight game that he has scored in double figures but it was not nearly enough in a 87-70 loss to #6 Palm Beach Atlantic. Jah Nze (17 points) and Omar Figueroa (14) also scored in double figures in the loss. With the loss Rollins falls to 9-8 and 3-6 in the SSC. #6 PBA remained tied atop the conference with #3 Nova Southeastern, as both teams sit at 8-1 in conference play. The Sailfish are now 16-1 overall. 

 Palm Beach Atlantic was in control from the jump as they scored the games first five points and led 18-4 after a Blake Wilson basket at the 13:06 mark of the opening half. Rollins used steals by Figueroa and Gaffney along with a triple by William Jobe to spark a 7-0 run to get them to within seven (18-11) over the next 1:21. PBA stretched the lead back to double digits. Rollins would again get to within nine (27-18) as Nze scored and. was fouled. He converted the free throw with 7:16 until halftime. PBA would score the next five points and would maintain a double digit lead until the halftime buzzer sounded with them holding a 42-31 advantage. Rollins shot 35.7 percent from the field, 26.3 percent (5-19) from the 3-point line, and 75 percent (6-8) from the free throw line in the opening half. PBA shot 56.3 percent from the field, 41.7 percent (5-12) from the 3-point line, and 33.3 percent (1-3) at the free throw line in the first 20 minutes. 

 After a Graham Worland jumper  put PBA up 13  Rollins would go on a 6 -0 run all from the free throw line as three Nze free throws would cut the Sailfish lead to seven with 17:11 to go. After a Jobe dunk Rollins would be as close as they had been in a long time at six (48-42) at the 15:32 mark. A 16-5 run by the Salfish would blow this one open as they led by 16 with 8:20 on the clock. Rollins would not be able to get the lead under 10 the rest of the way as PBA stayed perfect at home on the season (12-0.) 

 Worland led the Sailfish with 25 points, Wilson added 21, and Alvin Tumblin tallied 18. PBA shot 55 percent from the field, 27.3 percent (6-22) from the 3-point line, and 75 percent (15-20) from the free throw line in the contest. The Sailfish also dominated the paint, outscoring the Tars 52-22. They won the rebounding battle 37-28 and had 23 assists along with 10 turnovers in the contest. 

 Rollins had the three players score in double figures. They shot just 35.6 percent from the field as a team, 26.5 percent (9-34) from the 3-point line, and 82.6 percent (19-23) from the free throw line in the contest. They had 15 assists and 12 turnovers in the game. 

Other SSC Scores Saturday:

Tampa 107 Embry-Riddle 87 

Nova Southeastern 77 Lynn 65

Eckerd 89 Florida Southern 81 

Barry 81 Saint Leo 73 

SSC Standings: 

Palm Beach Atlantic 8-1 (16-1) 

Nova Southeastern 8-1 (13-1) 

Florida Southern 6-3 (14-5) 

Embry-Riddle 5-4 (8-8) 

Lynn 5-5 (10-7) 

Eckerd 4-5 (10-6) 

Tampa 4-5 (10-6) 

Barry 4-5 (9-8) 

Rollins 3-6 (9-8) 

Florida Tech 2-7 (6-11) 

Saint Leo 1-8 (6-11)