Chipola Indians make it three in a row
By: Shelia Mader
The Chipola Indians entered the weekend’s games at Gulf Coast State College with one win on the season and left Saturday night with two more, extending their early streak to three straight victories. They topped South Georgia State College 90–75 on Friday night, then battled through overtime on Saturday to edge Indian River State College 81–80.
In Friday’s matchup against South Georgia State, Chipola carried a 39–35 lead into halftime before turning up the pressure in the second half. The Indians put up 51 points after the break while holding their opponent to 40, sealing the win.
Three players finished in double figures: Demarco Middleton led with 21 points, followed by Bryson Berry with 13 and Peyton Wiggins with 10. Middleton also added eight assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Wiggins contributed three steals, two assists, and a rebound, while Hedrens Bartelus posted eight points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Saturday’s contest proved tougher. The Indians trailed 37–31 at halftime, but Coach Donnie Tyndall’s halftime adjustments sparked a comeback. Chipola outscored Indian River 40–34 in the second half to force overtime, then edged out a narrow 10–9 advantage in the extra period to claim the 81–80 victory.
Bartelus led the team with a double-double, 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Desmond Kent Jr. followed close behind with 19 points and 10 rebounds of his own. Payle Misic added nine points, four rebounds, and five blocks in the hard-fought win.
