Sports
FGCU Men’s Basketball Drills Record 17 Threes in 105-61 Victory in Chambers’ Alico Arena Debut
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU men’s basketball team enjoyed another successful home opener Sunday night, swamping Ave Maria, 105-61, at Alico Arena in coach Pat Chambers’ Southwest Florida debut. The Eagles began the 2022-23 home slate with a high-powered offense that flirted with the program’s single-game scoring record.
Zach Anderson #10 scored 22 points for the FGCU Eagles (2-1), at Alico Arena, Fort Meyers, Florida, Sunday, November 13, 2022. (Roman Garay / Florida National News)
Junior forward Zach Anderson (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) scored a game-high 22 points and senior guard Isaiah Thompson (Zionsville, Ind./Purdue) dropped in 21 to lead FGCU (2-1), which is now 19-2 overall in home openers and includes a streak of 11 straight wins from 2008-2018. The Eagles have now won three straight home openers after winning their first-ever home opener on a Sunday.
FGCU men’s basketball head coach Pat Chambers debut, at Alico Arena, Fort Meyers, Florida, Sunday, November 13, 2022. (Roman Garay / Florida National News)
“It has been a long week, and we were all about just trying to get better,” said FGCU head men’s basketball coach Pat Chambers. “We were trying to work on the foundation of defending and rebounding, creating that identity. We took major steps last week in California, and I was proud of the way we competed and gave ourselves a chance on the road. Then to come back here in front of our home crowd, I am just excited by what these kids tried to do on the defensive side of the ball.”
FGCU poured in a school-record 17 3-pointers in 40 attempts en route to reaching the 100-point plateau for the first time since defeating Webber International 112-39 on Dec. 18, 2020. Senior guard Dahmir Bishop (Philadelphia, Pa./Xavier/St. Joseph’s) scored 12 points for FGCU, and junior guard Chase Johnston (Boca Raton, Fla./Stetson) stretched his streak of double-figure scoring games to three with 11 points. Ave Maria got 13 points from Jonathan Effertz and 12 from Miles Monchecourt.
Chambers is 10-2 in home openers in his 12th season as a head coach. Sunday’s win at “The Nest” extends his current streak of victories in home openers to four.
FGCU’s single-game scoring record was 123 points, set Dec. 19, 2003, against Illinois Institute of Technology. Not far behind was the 120 points the Eagles hung on Ave Maria on Nov. 29, 2016. And at several parts Sunday night, both marks seemed destined to fall. The Eagles scored 62 points in the first half alone, as Thompson tallied 17 points and Anderson dropped 16 in the first 20 minutes.
With a 35-point halftime lead in his jacket pocket, Chambers was able to cycle in several reserves during the second half – as 15 Eagles saw playing time while still eclipsing the 100-point mark.
“I am grateful for Ave Maria for taking the game and playing hard, and those kids played hard and competed even though they played last night, too,” Chambers said. “I felt like we stuck to being who we are, defending and rebounding and sharing the basketball and creating good habits. It easily could have turned into a bit of a circus, and it didn’t. We both were working on things to get better – I know I was, and I know they were, because they have a really good team for their league.”
FGCU improved to 7-0 against Ave Maria, renewing what was an annual matchup that went dormant in 2016. FGCU averaged 84 points per game against the Gyrenes coming into Sunday and allowed just 50.3 points per outing.
The Eagles return to action on the road Wednesday, playing No. 11 Tennessee at 7 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Sunday’s home opener was FGCU’s only game at home in the month of November. FGCU returns to Southwest Florida for the Gulf Coast Classic at Hertz Arena on Nov. 21-23, playing Northern Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21. FGCU next plays at Alico Arena on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. against FIU.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The Orlando Pride (4-1-0, 12 pts) suffered their first defeat of the 2025 NWSL regular season, falling 1-0 to the Washington Spirit (4-1-0, 12 pts) on Saturday evening at Inter&Co Stadium. The narrow loss ended a dominant four-game winning streak to start the year and marked the first regular-season home defeat to the Spirit since 2019.
The game was defined by the Pride’s offensive pressure, totaling 20 shots and 11 corner kicks, yet they were unable to capitalize on their opportunities. A key moment came in the 65th minute, when forward Barbra Banda’s header struck the crossbar, nearly equalizing the game.
Orlando Pride’s Marta shows disappointment over goal ruling. Photo by Florida National News / Harry Castiblanco
Controversial Goal Overturned
Orlando Pride appeared to tie the match in the second half when Marta sent in a corner kick that resulted in a goal, but following a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed, leaving the home crowd frustrated.
Match-Winning Error
The lone goal of the match came in the 63rd minute, when Washington forward Gift Monday intercepted a misplayed pass from Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and tapped it into the net. The mistake proved costly in a game the Pride largely dominated in possession (60%) and shots on goal (6-2).
Seb Hines Reacts to First Loss
“I think 99 percent of the match we did well. We played with intensity and put Washington under immense pressure,” said Head Coach Seb Hines post-match. “The frustration is when you dominate a game and don’t get anything out of it. The performance was good, but we have to move on.”
Match Highlights and Key Stats
Anna Moorhouse made her 34th consecutive regular season start, tying Ali Krieger’s Club record.
Moorhouse also broke the Club record for most consecutive minutes played at the 70-minute mark (3,060 minutes).
Angelina was named Heineken Star of the Match.
Oihane made her first career NWSL start.
Grace Chanda made her NWSL debut as a second-half substitute.
Kylie Nadaner now ranks second all-time in Pride appearances with 95.
What’s Next for Orlando Pride?
The Pride will remain home at Inter&Co Stadium as they look to bounce back against Angel City FC on Friday, April 25. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET and will air on Prime Video. Orlando will aim to get back in the win column and regain early-season momentum in front of their home crowd.
Javier Garcia and Harry Castiblanco
Sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Osceola Magic’s historic run came to a close Monday night as they fell to the Stockton Kings, 118-110, in Game 3 of the NBA G League Finals presented by YouTube TV. The showdown at Osceola Heritage Park ended in front of a sellout crowd of 3,421 fans, marking a bittersweet finish to an electrifying season.
Game Highlights
Ethan Thompson led the charge for Osceola with 28 points on 8-of-17 shooting.
Myron Gardner notched a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Dexter Dennis came off the bench to lead Stockton with 23 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field and 3-of-5 from three.
Isaac Jones, on assignment from the Sacramento Kings, posted 21 points (8-of-11 FG) and 13 rebounds.
Mason Jones added 19 points and 13 assists for Stockton and was named NBA G League Finals MVP.
The game got off to a scrappy, high-energy start as both teams battled for momentum. Despite holding a narrow lead at halftime, the Magic struggled to contain the Kings’ bench unit in the fourth quarter, where Stockton surged ahead thanks to Dennis and Jones’s scoring bursts.
Game Highlights – Video
The Magic’s defensive efforts waned late, allowing the Kings to outpace them in fast breaks and capitalize on second-chance points. While Osceola pushed back in the final two minutes, the deficit proved too much to overcome.
What’s Next for Osceola Magic
With their season now complete, the Osceola Magic close out the 2024-25 NBA G League season with a 22-12 regular season record—a strong showing for the franchise since relocating to Kissimmee.
Fans interested in becoming part of the next chapter can secure 2025-26 season tickets now by visiting OsceolaMagic.com/2025-26-tickets.
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J Willie David, III
Pierredens Jeune, Vdeiographer
Sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
STOCKTON, Calif. (FNN SPORTS) – The Osceola Magic fell short in Game 2 of the NBA G League Finals on Friday night, losing 144-126 to the Stockton Kings at Adventist Health Arena. With the series now tied 1-1, the championship will be decided in a winner-takes-all Game 3 on Monday, April 14 at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.
Despite the loss, the Magic saw four players score 20 or more points. Leading the charge was Mac McClung, who poured in 34 points and handed out 8 assists, showcasing the explosiveness that’s made him a three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion. Jalen Slawson added 23 points against his former team, while Myron Gardner contributed 22 points, and Alex Morales chipped in 20.
However, the Stockton Kings were red-hot offensively. Mason Jones led the way with a 27-point, 12-assist double-double, while Skal Labissière added 26 points and 7 rebounds. The Kings were nearly unstoppable from the field, shooting a sizzling 56.7% overall and 58.5% from three-point range, knocking down 24 threes as a team.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR OSCEOLA MAGIC?
The NBA G League Finals, presented by YouTube TV, return to Osceola Heritage Park for a decisive Game 3 on Monday, April 14. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
Fans attending the game will have the chance to snag exclusive merch—the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition Osceola Magic G League Finals T-shirt, courtesy of AdventHealth.
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J Willie David, III
Sports@Florida National News.com
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