SCF Basketball Starts Season with Victory
SCF overcame at 15-point halftime deficit to defeat the College of Central Florida in the home opener at Hal Chasey Gymnasium Wednesday night. The Manatees opened the season with an 82-78 win. Anthony Prescott led the Manatees with 22 points.
Having their big men on the floor made all the difference for the State College of Florida men's basketball team.
SCF overcame at 15-point halftime deficit to defeat the College of Central Florida in the home opener at Hal Chasey Gymnasium Wednesday night.
Odi Onyekachukwu and Giannis Stavriandis both picked up three fouls early in the first half, causing head coach Joe Whelton to shift his lineup around.
"We had five guards on the floor sometimes and we don't practice that situation. We weren't playing intelligent basketball," Whelton said.
SCF came out firing in the second half and reduced the deficit to single-digits quickly.
Odi had 13 of his 17 points over the final 20 minutes to help the cause. Stavriandis had all 15 of his points in the final half that saw SCF scored 46 points on the Patriots. Anthony Prescott led the Manatees with 22 while Denzel Myers had 15.
"We need to have Odi on the floor," Whelton said. "I emphasized playing intelligent basketball in the second half and we did that. They played with more desire in the second half and were determined to win the game.
SCF will host Monroe College (NY) on the first day of the SCF Classic at 8 p.m. on Friday.