STATESMEN FALL TO NORTHWEST FLORDIA IN MEETING OF NJCAA CHAMPIONS

NICEVILLE, FL (Nov. 13, 2015) — Heading into the 2015-16 season, head men's basketball coach Chuck Moore knew that playing the most difficult schedule in school history would prepare his team for Region X Conference play. One of those top shelf games was a rare meeting between his defending NJCAA Division II champion Statesmen and the defending NJCAA Division I champion Raiders from Northwest Florida State College.

On Friday night at the Bruce Stewart Classic, Richard Bland fell to the host Raiders, 83-62, in a game that will surely reap learning benefits for the Statesmen as the season progresses.

The loss drops RBC to 3-2 on the season, while the Raiders improve to 5-0. The Statesmen face another tough opponent on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., when they meet Chipola College. Northwest Florida State College will play San Jacinto College-Central at 7:30 p.m.

The Raiders held a 39-27 halftime lead despite shooting just 9 percent from 3-point range and essentially won the contest with strong inside play. Northwest Florida scored 58 of its 83 points in the paint (compared to 24 points for the Statesmen) and capitalized on Richard Bland miscues to score 24 points. 

Three players scored in double figures for the Statesmen, who were led by 12 points from sophomore Troy Gibson (Newport News, VA/Heritage). Freshman guard Myles Markland (Chesterfield, VA/Matoaca) scored in double figures for the fifth straight game (11 points) and freshman Deandre Clark (Orange County, VA/Wakefield Private School) added 10 points. Freshman center Jaquan Wooten (Goldsboro, NC/South Lenoir) led RBC with a season best 13 rebounds and Gibson completed a double-double with 12 boards.

Northwest Florida placed three players in double figures, led by 22 points from guard Daryl Edwards.