WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Florida Polytechnic University men's basketball team secured a hard-fought 75-70 victory over the Academy of Central Florida on Thursday evening. The Phoenix built a commanding first-half advantage before holding off a late comeback attempt to earn the five-point win. Florida Poly showcased a balanced offensive attack, with five players scoring in double figures, while controlling the glass and making critical plays down the stretch. The victory for the Phoenix in the Inaugural Game makes the team 1-0 to start the year.
Florida Poly established its offensive rhythm early, opening the contest with a three-pointer from Trayvon Barbary before Zoé Holman added a layup to give the Phoenix a 5-0 advantage. The Phoenix maintained control throughout the opening minutes, using contributions from Demetrius Robinson and Christopher Davis to keep the visitors at a distance. After the Academy of Central Florida narrowed the deficit to 20-19 with 6:43 remaining in the first half, Florida Poly responded with a decisive 18-2 run. Davis connected on a pair of three-pointers during the stretch, while Marouf Moumine provided seven points off the bench. The offensive surge helped the Phoenix establish a 17-point advantage before heading into halftime with a 40-27 lead. Holman led the first-half scoring with 12 points, while Davis contributed 10 points and two three-pointers.
The Phoenix continued their momentum coming out of the break, as Pierson Alexander knocked down a three-pointer just 17 seconds into the second half. Davis followed with another shot from beyond the arc, extending Florida Poly's advantage to a game-high 19 points at 46-27 with 19:06 remaining. However, the Academy of Central Florida began to find its offensive rhythm, gradually cutting into the deficit behind strong perimeter shooting and improved defensive pressure. Florida Poly answered with several important baskets from Robinson, Barbary, and Alexander to maintain its lead. Robinson was especially effective around the basket, converting all four of his second-half field-goal attempts while adding eight points and six rebounds after halftime.
The closing minutes featured a determined comeback attempt from the visitors, who used an offensive surge to trim Florida Poly's lead to 68-67 with 3:40 remaining. Alexander delivered one of the game's biggest shots, connecting on a three-pointer with 1:41 left to give the Phoenix some breathing room. Academy of Central Florida's Brandon Rivera answered with a three-pointer to bring the visitors within one point with just over a minute remaining. Davis responded with a crucial layup at the 38-second mark, pushing Florida Poly's advantage back to three. After forcing another turnover, the Phoenix capitalized when Holman finished a fast-break layup with 12 seconds remaining. A missed three-point attempt by the visitors in the final seconds secured the 75-70 victory for Florida Poly.
Florida Poly's balanced offensive performance was highlighted by Holman and Davis, who each finished with a team-high 15 points. Holman added four assists and three steals while shooting 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Davis connected on three shots from beyond the arc, adding five rebounds and three steals. Robinson delivered a dominant performance in the paint, recording a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three assists and two blocked shots. Barbary contributed 11 points and six rebounds, while Alexander scored all 10 of his points in the second half, including two critical three-pointers. Moumine provided a spark off the bench with seven points and three rebounds.
As a team, the Phoenix shot an efficient 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the field while connecting on six three-pointers. Florida Poly dominated the rebounding battle 36-23 and outscored the Academy of Central Florida 34-24 in the paint. The Phoenix also capitalized on the visitors' 18 turnovers, converting them into 24 points. Despite being outscored 43-35 in the second half, Florida Poly's strong first-half performance and timely execution in the closing moments proved enough to secure the victory.
