Box Score TAMPA, Fla. – Jax Bouknight and Josiah Shackelford each scored 20 points to help lead Flagler College to a 77-67 win over Eckerd College Friday night in the first round of the Tampa Classic at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center.

Flagler improved to 7-2 and has won four-of-its-last-five games. This is the best start, through nine games, for the program since the 2021-22 season with the same mark. Eckerd dropped to 6-6. Flagler concludes the tournament tomorrow as it faces the host school, the University of Tampa, at 7 p.m.

Bouknight made 6-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-5 from long range, and sank 5-of-6 from the free throw line. He added seven rebounds and three steals. Shackelford scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half. He tacked on four steals and three assists. Shackelford made 5-of-11 from the field, 3-for-5 from three-point range, and made all seven of his free throw attempts. Jaylen Jordan contributed 18 points and six rebounds while Destin Clark supplied 14 points.

The Saints forced 17 Triton turnovers and cashed those in for 25 points. Flagler made 90 percent (18-20) of its free throws.

Isaiah Placide led Eckerd with 15 points. Timothy Thompson recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Koa Baker added 13 points.

The Saints held a lead for all but 3-minutes and 10-seconds. With 53 seconds left, Thompson made the first of two free throws to cut the Triton deficit to four (71-67), but Eckerd could not get any closer.

Flagler led by 13 points (69-56) after a three-pointer by Bouknight with 4:22 left to go in the game. That was the last field goal by the Saints, but they made all eight free throws, including all six in the final 33 seconds.

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