December 6, 2025
Harris Leads Bucs Past Pirates
The Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers wrapped up non-conference play in style on Saturday, getting revenge for an opening night loss to D2 #13 Chattahoochee Valley with a 63-60 win behind 23 points from Kiara Harris to improve to 7-5 on the year.
NICEVILLE, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers wrapped up non-conference play in style on Saturday, getting revenge for an opening night loss to D2 #13 Chattahoochee Valley with a 63-60 win behind 23 points from Kiara Harris to improve to 7-5 on the year.
The Bucs defense was locked in early on as they held Chatt Valley to just two points over the first 3:30 of the contest to jump out to an early 7-2 lead. Threes from Damia Worthy and Kiara Harris bumped the lead to 15-6 moments later and after one it was 20-11 FSW as the Bucs finished the period shooting a scorching 88% from the field.
Another Worthy triple upped the lead to 29-14 midway through the second, but the Bucs went cold from there, going scoreless over the next four minutes as the Pirates went on a 10-0 run to cut their lead to just five at 29-24. Each side got a bucket before the break and FSW went to the locker rooms at half leading Chatt Valley 32-26.
The Pirates found some answers at the break and slowly worked their way to within striking distance before getting a bucket with 44 seconds remaining in the third to give them their first lead of the contest at 45-44. The Bucs went the final 4:03 of the third with just one field goal and went to the fourth with a three point deficit, trailing 47-44.
The Bucs found some success early in the fourth, tying the game at 51 on a free throw from Delfina Cergneux and retaking the lead on a layup from Harris with 5:29 to go. Back to back threes from Harris bumped the lead back to eight and the Bucs held on for dear life from there. Chatt Valley got all the way back to within one in the final minute, but Harris drained a pair of clutch free throws with just 5 seconds remaining on the clock and a last second hail mary from the Pirates was off the mark as FSW held on to win 63-60.
When the Bucs could get shots up, they connected at a 51% rate from the field and a 48% mark from three, but once again, the turnover bug weighed heavy as for the sixth straight game FSW finished with 20 or more turnovers. Harris led the Bucs with 23 points and 6 assists in the win while Arielle Marc added 12.
FSW improves to 7-5 on the year with the victory while Chatt Valley ends the weekend winless against a pair of Citrus Conference foes as they fall to 6-4.
The Bucs will now turn their attention to Citrus Conferece play where they kick off league play on Saturday at home against Santa Fe in a 2 PM tip from Suncoast Credit Union Arena.