Pirates Win in Overtime

Pensacola State closed out the Thanksgiving Classic with a hard-fought 74–66 overtime win against Wallace State Hanceville, battling through a tight, back-and-forth matchup to secure a gritty home victory. The first half was evenly contested, with Wallace State's Jaeden Rush coming out red-hot—scoring 12 of their first 18 points and keeping the Pirates on their heels. Pensacola managed to gain some momentum late in the half and entered the break with a narrow 32–29 lead.

The second half continued the same script, with Wallace State leading for most of the period and neither team allowing the other to pull away. In the closing minutes, Deven Bates delivered when the Pirates needed him most—knocking down a crucial shot to force overtime and continuing to come up big in the extra period. Bates finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in one of his strongest all-around performances of the season.

Off the bench, Joshua Middlebrooks provided a massive spark, making momentum-shifting plays throughout the second half and overtime. He ended the night with a season-high 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals, helping stabilize the Pirates whenever momentum shifted.

Two unsung heroes also emerged in the clutch: Alex Madrid and Sean Owens each buried key three-pointers in critical moments. Madrid contributed 10 points on 50% shooting while anchoring the defense with 3 steals and a block. Owens added 13 points and 4 assists and led the team with three made threes.

It was a resilient, collective effort from Pensacola State, who showed toughness and composure to finish the week with an overtime win and move forward with confidence.