Nova escapes with OT win, keeps home winning streak alive at 102 games
Nova Southeastern University’s crazy win streak lives on … but barely.
In addition, the underrated NSU women’s basketball team won its first league championship in more than a year; FIU gears up for a big week in hoops; lots of players with local ties compete in the World Baseball Classic; and a former Miami Sunset High kicker strikes it rich.
Here are your five Takeaways:
1: NSU HOME WIN STREAK REACHES 102 GAMES: The Sharks, the top-ranked team in the nation (NCAA Division II), defeated visiting Palm Beach Atlantic, 92-85, in overtime on Sunday, winning the Sunshine State Conference tournament for the fifth straight year.
NSU trailed 75-70 with 12 seconds left in regulation, but Sharks wing Ryan Davis grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with five seconds remaining. That made it 75-72.
The Sharks then immediately fouled Jakob Hester, who missed the front end of one-and-one free throw. NSU’s Jamie Qualley grabbed the rebound and passed to Ross Reeves, who hit a logo three-pointer from about 35 feet at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime and the crowd into a frenzy.
In overtime, NSU trailed by as many as four points, and there were five lead changes. But NSU’s Dallas Graziani’s three-pointer from the corner with 56 seconds left gave the Sharks an 86-84 lead, and the home streak was finally safe.
“Ross does this in practice all the time,” Davis told t
he Herald when asked about Reeves’ big shot. “When he let it go, I knew it was going in. He’s as clutch as it gets.”
Added Reeves: “God is so good. I’m so grateful. This is a dream come true. I’m still in shock!”
Reeves finished with a game-high 29 points; Graziani added 23 points and a game-high nine assists; and Davis had 20 points.
Next up, the Sharks (27-1) will play eighth-seeded Morehouse (22-9) on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament South Region opener.
2: NSU WOMEN ROLL: The Sharks, in their first season under coach Heather Macy, defeated Florida Southern 78-74 on Sunday to earn their first Sunshine State Conference tournament title in 11 years.
NSU’s Bridie McCann scored 28 points on Sunday, earning MVP honors for the tournament. She also had the two go-ahead free throws with 45 seconds remaining. Kaliyah Morales added 14 points, including the dagger with six seconds left, giving NSU a 78-74 lead. Morales also had a game-high five assists.
The 14th-ranked Sharks (27-4) advanced to the NCAA Tournament South Region in Huntsville, Alabama. In the first round on Friday, fifth-seeded NSU will take on a team from Alabama, fourth-seeded Miles College (25-5).
3: FIU IN CONFERENCE USA HOOPS TOURNAMENTS: FIU’s men’s basketball team (15-16, 8-12) will play Missouri State (14-17, 8-12) on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Conference USA tournament, also in Huntsville, Alabama. FIU is seeded eighth, and Missouri State is ninth, and the teams split a pair of regular-season games.
Meanwhile, FIU’s women’s basketball team (19-10, 12-6) is seeded second. That’s the program’s highest seeding in 12 years. FIU will get a first-round bye, playing its opening game on Wednesday, also in Huntsville.
4: WBC LOCALS: There’s a long list of players with local ties competing in the World Baseball Classic, including former Parkland Stoneman Douglas High star Roman Anthony, who is starting in left field for Team USA.
There are two former FIU players in the WBC: Logan Allen (Panama) and Carlos Lequerica (Israel). Lequerica also played for Miami Dade College and the University of Miami.
There are also three ex-FIU signees who never played for the Panthers because they went pro out of high school: Manny Machado (Dominican Republic) and Heliot Ramos and MJ Melendez (both for Puerto Rico).
Brazil’s Lucas Ramirez, the son of former MLB star Manny Ramirez, played for Plantation’s American Heritage. Ramirez, a 20-year-old Class A prospect, homered twice against Team USA on Friday. He could be a steal for the Angels as a 17th-round pick in 2024.
Other WBC players with local ties include Israel’s Daniel Federman (Archbishop McCarthy, UM); and Nicaragua’s Jeter Downs (Monsignor Pace), Freddy Zamora (Killian, UM), Mark Vientos (American Heritage) and Carlos Rodriguez (Miami Christian).
Locals who are on WBC coaching staffs include the Dominican Republic’s Placido Polanco (Miami Dade College); and Brazil’s Yan Gomes (Barry University);
There’s also a long list of players with Marlins ties, past or present, competing in the WBC: Sandy Alcantara, Huascar Brazoban and Agustin Ramirez (Dominican Republic); Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez and Josh Naylor (Canada); Donovan Solano and Harold Ramirez (Colombia); Yiddi Cappe (Cuba); Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ian Lewis (Great Britain); Matt Mervis (Israel); Jon Berti and Jakob Marsee (Italy); Christian Bethancourt (Panama); and Luis Arraez and Javier Sanoja (Venezuela).
Coaches in the WBC with Marlins ties include Fredi Gonzalez (USA); Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela’s hitting coach); Joey Cora (Puerto Rico); and Jhonatan Solano (Colombia).
5: EX-SUNSET KICKER STRIKES GOLD: Miami native Eddy Pineiro, who was a soccer player until his senior year at Sunset High, just signed a four-year, $17-million NFL contract, including $10-million guaranteed, to remain with the 49ers.
The 49ers are the seventh NFL team for Pineiro, 30, who was incredible last season, making 28 of 29 field goals including six kicks over 50 yards. His only miss was on a 64-yarder that hit the crossbar.
