Sharks Come Up Short in Back-and-Forth Battle at Palm Beach State

Miami Dade went punch-for-punch on the road Tuesday night, but a late push from Palm Beach State proved to be the difference as the Sharks dropped a tight 73–69 decision to the Panthers.

Palm Beach State came out firing, building a 41–32 halftime lead behind efficient early shot-making. But Miami Dade refused to go away. The Sharks opened the second half with a more composed offensive rhythm, tightening the margin possession by possession. Strong interior finishing from Anthony Breland and timely shooting from David Verstraeten sparked the rally, turning what once was a double-digit gap into a one-possession game down the stretch.

Breland powered the Sharks with 21 points, attacking the rim all night and going 7-for-8 from the line. Verstraeten followed with 17 points, knocking down a pair of threes and providing a steady presence on both ends. Ernesto Rodriguez was perfect from the field going 4-for-4 overall and 3-for-3 from deep, adding 13 points to keep MDC within striking distance.

Miami Dade's defense also made winning plays in key stretches, forcing turnovers and holding the Panthers to just 32 points after halftime. But a handful of empty trips in the final minutes, paired with PBSC's ability to answer with tough buckets, ultimately kept the Sharks just out of reach.

The Sharks shot 46.9% from the floor and won the second half, 37–32, but Palm Beach State's early cushion proved enough to protect home court.

Miami Dade, 2-1, returns to action next week as they take part in the FSW Classic.