#8 MOCS 9-0 (1-0)

[E.T.]

GILBERRY STARS IN WIN OVER WEBBER

LAKELAND - With Florida Southern's leading scorers struggling early, Allen Gilberry had a chance to shine and he did. Coming off the bench for a career-high 17 points and hitting four 3-pointers, the sophomore guard led the eighth-ranked Moccasins to an 89-55 win over Webber International on Sunday afternoon.

Gilberry began the day averaging just 4.6 points per game but went four-for-six from the floor and five-of-six from the free throw line. He also handed out four assists and made four steals without committing a turnover. The Mocs (9-0) trailed 10-6 and had yet to make a field goal when Gilberry and Dominic Girod hit on back-to-back 3-pointers to get the offense going.

Webber (2-13) then ran off six straight points to re-take the lead, but Florida Southern answered with seven straight points to go ahead 19-16, and never trailed again. Gilberry tied the game with two free throws and Dale Parsons hit the go-ahead 3-point shot at the 11-minute mark. The Warriors were able to keep the game close for a while longer but the Moccasins outscored them 11-2 over the final five minutes of the first half. That gave FSC a 38-26 lead at the break.

The Warriors scored the first four points of the second half but a 10-0 run sparked by Hurley Dunbar and Dwayne Abraham gave the Moccasins a double digit lead the rest of the game. They later put the game away with a 16-1 run and Gilberry's final 3-pointer with one minute to play gave the Mocs their largest lead of the game at 37.

"Allen's not a guy we expect to make a lot of 3-point shots," said coach Tony Longa, "so anytime he can knock some down it's a bonus."

Florida Southern was 10-for-24 from behind the arc as a team.

"Webber played us tough in the first half but I thought we played a lot better defense in the second, even though they scored more points," said Longa. "It was a game we just needed to get through. This last one of the semester is always tough, coming off final exams and right before Christmas."

Gilberry was one of four Moccasins to score in figures with Parsons and Michael Simms each scoring 14 points and Hurley Dunbar adding 10. Simms and Parsons began the day as the second and third leading scorers in the Sunshine State Conference, both averaging better than 18 points a game, but hit just three of their first 17 shots. At that point though, the Mocs still led by 12 with Gilberry scoring nine, and Abraham and Arnaldo Abreu each scoring seven.

Abreu was starting in place of Blake Williams, who was held out for precautionary reasons with a knee injury. Williams described it as a sprained MCL but the league's leading rebounder is expected to be ready for play when the Mocs return after Christmas break.

Abraham finished with a game-high 10 rebounds while Andrei Grant had nine boards. The Moccasins out-rebounded the Warriors, 50-32, including 18-9 on the offensive end. It was the sixth time this year Florida Southern out-rebounded an opponent by at least 15.

Webber was led by Juan Alvarex who had 12 points, five rebounds and 10 assists. Halston Schaffer also scored in double figures with 10 points and had five rebounds as well. The Warriors were plagued by 24 turnovers though, leading to 35 Florida Southern points.

Florida Southern will be off until the Ledger Holiday Classic on December 29 and 30, while Webber plays its final game before the break on Monday at 7:00 against St. Paul's.

[E.T.]

MEN'S BASKETBALL AT 9-0 ... The Moccasins will enjoy a perfect 9-0 record through the Christmas holiday after cruising past Webber International 89-55. Allen Gilberry (Bay Minette, Ala./Baldwin Co. HS) turned in a sparkling performance off the bench, scoring a career-high 17 points, including four three-pointers, plus four steals and four assists.  Dale Parsons (Toronto, Ontario/Weber State) and Michael Simms (Chicago, Ill./Waubonsee CC) each scored 14 points and Hurley Dunbar (Stuart/Martin County HS) added 10 points in the win.  Simms leads the team with an 18.2 scoring average and Parsons is right behind him at 17.7.

Ranked eighth in last week's Division II Bulletin national

poll, the Moccasins remain the only unbeaten team in the SSC.  

The Moccasins return to action after Christmas in the FSC Ledger Classic Dec. 29-30 at Jenkins Field House.  The Moccasins take on West Georgia (8-2) at 8 p.m. Dec. 29, after Florida Tech (3-5) and Bentley (5-4) play in the opening game at 6 p.m. On Dec. 30, the Moccasins play Bentley at 8 p.m., with Florida Tech meeting West Georgia at 6 p.m.

[bulls96go]

good for them