Upset City: Eagles take down top-ranked Chipola

By Brenden Martin
TCC Sports Information
@brendenmartin28

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 14, 2014) - Eagle fans stormed the court on Tuesday night as Tallahassee Community College upset No. 1 Chipola College, dominating the Indians by the score of 80-59 in Panhandle Conference action.

Tallahassee (12-8, 1-3 PC) came into its game on Tuesday evening with an upset on its mind against a Chipola (16-2, 2-1) team that is the best in the land.

The Indians are No. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Top 25 Men's Poll, and No. 1 in the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll.

The Eagles were trying to turn things around after losing their first three conference games. They could not have gotten off to a better start in this one.

The Bill Hebrock Eagledome was rocking as the Eagles drained shot after shot from behind the arc. Tallahassee converted on six three-pointers in the first half, shooting 40 percent from downtown and 60 percent from the field. Chipola shot just eight percent from three-point land in the first half.

The Eagles held a big advantage in the assist and rebounding categories at the break which greatly contributed to the 20-point advantage Tallahassee had at halftime. The Eagles led 46-26 heading into the locker room.

Production came from many players in many different categories as the Eagles stepped up for this game. Duran Porter led the team in scoring at halftime with ten points, which included two monster jams! Dirk Williams and Cameron Dozier both had eight points. Marlon Johnson led the team at halftime in both assists (4) and rebounds (6).

The Eagles did not cool off one bit in the second half, continuing their dominance. It seemed as though they could not miss. The upset was becoming more and more of a possibility as the seconds kept ticking away. The Eagles went up big and never looked back, ending the night with a 21-point victory.

Five different Eagles scored in double figures. Earvin Morris was the high point man with 18. Johnson finished with eleven rebounds and seven assists. Williams, Dozier, Morris, Stephen and Porter all finished in double-figures.

Entering tonight, the Eagles were 4-7 against NJCAA No. 1 ranked teams. The last time Tallahassee defeated the nation's top-ranked team was on January 20, 2007, also against Chipola. In a game played in Marianna, it took two overtimes for the Eagles to pull out a five point win, 97-92.

This win could give the Eagles a huge momentum boost as they into round two of conference play. They have an entire week to prepare for their next game when they host Northwest Florida State College on January 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. eastern.