Titans Just One Win Away From Conference Crown

By  //  February 18, 2013

BCC Meets Broward At Home On Wednesday

BREVARD COUNTY, FL – You take them however you can get them and that is what Brevard Community College’s men’s basketball team did on Saturday squeaking by host Miami Dade College 87-83 in Kendall.

Freshman Mike Kirland scored 18 points to lead BCC to a men’s basketball win Saturday over Miami-Dade. (Image courtesy of BCC)

The victory, in which Miami Dade gave BCC all it could handle for the second time, puts BCC in position to clinch its first outright Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference championship since 1999-2000.

It can do that at home on Sophomore Night at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Broward College and admission to BCC home games is free.

BCC improved to 23-6 overall and 9-2 in the conference. Miami Dade fell to 10-18 and 0-10.

Freshman Mike Kirkland led BCC with 18 points, all in the second half. Sophomore co-captains Addison Spruill and Nyles Evans added 17 and 14 points respectively for BCC.

“I just came in the second half ready to play and just played with urgency,” Kirkland said. “I’m starting to get comfortable in the system and seeing how coach coaches and adjusting to how he wants me to play.”

While BCC head coach Jeremy Shulman was pleased with the outcome he wasn’t at all happy with the circuitous route his team took to get it. He was concerned about some sloppy play and the affect it will have with everything on the line against Broward.

“I wasn’t very pleased with our performance today,” Shulman said. “We preach the process over the results. Doing things a certain way, playing a certain way. We didn’t do that.

“We have to now respond in a big way on Wednesday against Broward for the conference championship.”

BCC stormed to a 20-6 lead in the first 13 minutes and 28 seconds, but allowed Miami Dade to get back to within six, 35-29 at halftime, thanks to three three-pointers by Danny Herrera.

Miami went on a 12-1 run to start the second half to build a 41-36 lead. But BCC came back with a 24-7 run for a 12-point lead, 60-48, with 8:56 remaining thanks in large part to Kirkland’s scoring, rebounding and play in the middle.

However, Miami Dade refused to fold and gave BCC anxious moments down the stretch, finishing with a 16-7 run that had the game – and BCC’s title hopes – in the balance.

Should BCC win the conference title it automatically advances to the March 6-9 FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 tournament in Chipola, the final step before the national championship tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

Should Broward beat BCC and should second-place Palm Beach State win out, BCC would have to play in the conference tournament to earn a state berth.

Spruill had 11 first half points while Evans had two three-pointers.

Michael Calder led Miami Dade with 26 points. Herrera added 19.