Breland Powers Second-Half Surge as Sharks Top Polk State

Miami Dade turned defense into separation and rode a balanced scoring punch to a 76-58 win over Polk State College to move to 3rd in conference play.

The Sharks controlled the game from the opening minutes, forcing early turnovers and getting out in transition. Randy Smith finished the first bucket on a layup after a David Verstraeten steal, setting the tone for a night where Miami Dade pressured the ball and jumped passing lanes. From there, the Sharks stacked stops, found rhythm in the halfcourt, and carried a 36-29 lead into the break.

Polk State tried to hang around at the line, led by Eric Dailey's 18 points (12-of-14 FT), but Miami Dade never let the momentum flip. Early in the second half, the Sharks pushed the lead to double digits behind Anthony Breland's interior work and timely shot-making from Anthony Gilkes and Ernesto Rodriguez. 

Breland led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with four assists, while Rodriguez added 15 points and knocked down three triples. Gilkes chipped in 12 points, and Leeroy Nijean posted an 8-point, 9-rebound effort as the Sharks won the glass battle and consistently generated extra possessions.

Miami Dade finished with 10 steals and forced 19 Polk State turnovers, turning pressure into points and closing the final stretch with poise to secure the 76-58 victory.