Florida
No. 13 Alabama Outlasts No. 24 Florida in Overtime Thriller, 98-93 – University of Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 13/13 Alabama men’s basketball team came back from a double-digit second half deficit and defeated No. 24/RV Florida in overtime, 98-93, Wednesday night inside Coleman Coliseum. The contest featured eight ties and 16 lead changes in the back-and-forth thriller.
Alabama (19-7, 11-3 SEC) trailed for a majority of the game and went down by as many as 10 points, 72-62, at the 8:40 mark of the second half. However, back-to-back threes from Sam Walters sparked a 15-4 Crimson Tide run to regain the lead 77-76 with 4:25 remaining. After Mark Sears drained a pair of free throws to tie the game and send it to overtime in the final seconds, Aaron Estrada scored six of the Tide’s 13 points in the extra period to lift UA to the team’s 16th consecutive home conference win.
Grant Nelson led the way for the Crimson Tide with 22 points, eight rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots. He was joined in double figures by Estrada (20), Sears (17), Walters (14), Nick Pringle (13) and Rylan Griffen (10).
Florida (18-8, 8-5) was led by Walter Clayton Jr., who finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
“Wow that was a wild game, but we figured out a way to win it. I told our guys, sometimes when you play bad you have to figure out ways to win games and I thought we figured it out. A couple of plays come to mind; Sam (Walters) hit some big threes and it wasn’t just the threes he hit though, he got a tip in a big possession late in the game that kept the ball alive for Aaron (Estrada) to go on and get the put back. Aaron almost had a triple-double and I thought that this was probably Grant’s (Nelson) best game. The three in the corner was huge, but the six blocks were bigger.
If you’re going to win a championship, these are the games that you have to figure out ways to win, even when you don’t play well. After going down 10, we got together in the huddle, like we did at Georgia. We said we’re going to figure out a way to win this game and make some big plays. I thought this was maybe (Mark) Sears’ best game defensively and it showed with that big steal that he had late in the game. We continued to figure out ways to win this game when we didn’t play well.
But for us to outscore them 56-40 in the paint was huge for this game. So, give our guys a lot of credit for figuring out a way to win a game. They (Florida) came in with a great game plan and played well, especially with their guards. Give our guys a ton of credit and Florida a lot of credit. We are going to have to play much better at their place. But we’ve got two days to lock in on a scouting report and do a much better job on Saturday than we did tonight.”
Team Stats
- The Crimson Tide has won four consecutive matchups against Florida dating back to 2021
- It is the eighth consecutive SEC game that Alabama has scored at least 80 points, the longest since Kentucky in 2016-17
- Tonight’s victory over UF marks gives UA a league-best 60 SEC wins since the 2019-20 season
- Alabama has won 16 straight SEC home games, the longest winning streak since 1988
- It was the first overtime game for UA since March 1, 2023, when Alabama defeated Auburn 90-85 to clinch the 2023 SEC regular season title
- Alabama improves to 4-2 in overtime games under Nate Oats
- Alabama boasted six players reaching double figures for the first time since last December’s win over Liberty
- Alabama dished out 19 assists against the Gators
- The Tide outscored Florida inside the paint, 56-40
- Alabama’s depth proved to be a big difference, outscoring Florida’s reserves, 29-13
- UA outrebounded UF 54-44
- Jarin Stevenson made his first career start in the win
- Walters hit a season’s best four three-pointers, besting his previous high three against Arizona
- Nelson led the Tide in scoring for the fifth time this season
- Sears had his streak of scoring 20 or more points snapped at eight straight games
First Half
- The opening stanza saw two ties and 11 lead changes prior to the first media timeout, with UF holding the slight 20-18 advantage
- A 7-0 run helped propel Florida to a 41-37 halftime lead
- Alabama led 28-18 in points in the paint
- The Tide held a 30-22 edge in total rebounds in the first stanza
- Alabama swatted five shots in the first half
- Grant Nelson led UA in scoring with nine points in the first half, the senior also swatted four shots
Second Half
- Alabama grabbed its first lead of the second half with 17:56 remaining in the game, the Tide’s first lead since the 11:47 mark of the first half
- Sam Walters buried the Tide’s first three of the second half at the 11:00 mark
- Walters hit another three on the following possession to cut the Gator lead to five
- Alabama used a 10-0 run over 1:48 to take a 77-76 lead with 4:24 left in the game
- A pair of free throws from Sears deadlocked the game at 85, and sent the game to overtime
Overtime
- Alabama outscored Florida 13-8 in the overtime period
- Aaron Estrada led UA in the overtime period with six points, including a put-back layup that made it a two possession game
- The Tide dished out 12 assists in the second half and overtime on 17 made field goals
- After a slow start from beyond the arc in the opening half, UA shot 62 percent (5-8) from three
Up Next
- Alabama will return action on Saturday afternoon when it travels to Lexington, Ky. to square off against the No. 17/17 Kentucky Wildcats in Rupp Arena
- The game is slated for a 3 p.m. CT tipoff and will air live on CBS
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on X and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Florida
Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship
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A Florida high school state football championship finished with a phenomenal ending for one team and absolute heartbreak for the other on Saturday night.
Lake Mary High School was down six points with seven seconds left in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A title game against Vero Beach. Noah Grubbs dropped back to pass and rolled to his right. He gained momentum and fired the ball, which was tipped and caught short of the goal line.
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A Lake Mary quarterback looks to throw in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
As Vero Beach defenders tried to keep receiver Barrett Schultz out of the end zone, Schultz’s teammate Tavarius Brundidge Jr. came around and took the ball out of Schultz’s hands. Brundidge ran the ball into the end zone to complete the wild and chaotic play.
The touchdown tied the game, and Lake Mary would kick the extra point to win, 28-27.
INDIANA’S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY
A Lake Mary player in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, makes a catch at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“I was just hoping and praying like everyone else that he was going to come down with the football and Barrett did,” Lake Mary head coach Scott Perry said, via TC Palm. “… We were just going to keep fighting and fighting until the final whistle.”
Vero Beach tried to run out the clock the best they could. The team decided to take a safety with 12 seconds left, and gave the ball back to Lake Mary.
A Vero Beach player is stunned after the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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It was the first state championship for Lake Mary in its history.
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Florida
Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente enjoy Florida day date on jet skis
Gisele Bündchen and her boyfriend, Joaquim Valente, soaked up the sun during a jet skiing date in Florida.
The model and the MMA athlete appeared in good spirits while on the water near their home in Surfside on Saturday.
They both stayed close to each other and sported life vests.
Bündchen, 35, appeared to be wearing a white one-piece bathing suit underneath her vest.
She accessorized with sunglasses and styled her hair in a ponytail.
As for Valente, he sported black swim trunks.
The couple, who have been romantically linked since 2023, enjoyed some quality time together after welcoming a son together in February.
While Bündchen and Valente have shied away from revealing too much about their infant, they recently took him out on a boat ride in September.
At the time, the former Victoria’s Secret model was seen cradling her son while her beau took the wheel.
Valente then adorably held onto their 10-month-old, as Bündchen watched in awe.
The health guru also shared a rare glimpse of her son alongside her 16-year-old son, Benjamin, in October.
The teenager adorably held onto his little brother while playing the piano.
Bündchen shares Benjamin and her daughter Vivian, 13, with her ex-husband, Tom Brady.
The exes were wed from 2009 to 2022.
The former NFL star also shares an 18-year-old son, Jack, with his ex Bridget Moynahan.
Florida
Florida Class 4A state championship: How to watch American Heritage vs. Jones
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) football state championships continued last night down in Miami at Pitbull Stadium as the Raines Vikings upset the Northwestern Bulls for the the Class 3A state championship, provind the most exciting game of the week thus far. Another rematch from last year’s finals pits the American Heritage Patriots versus the Jones Tigers for the Class 4A state championship this afternoon. We preview the sixth of seven FHSAA state championship games as teams begin being crowned as champions of their classifications.
How to Watch American Heritage vs. Jones in Florida 4A state championship game
Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Pitbull Stadium in Miami, Fla.
TV Channel: NFHS Network
American Heritage Players to Watch
QB Leon Strawder: Strawder is making his second consecutive appearance in a state championship game, this time with a different team, however. The senior has thrown for 2,052 yards and 19 touchdowns.
WR Jamar Denson: Of the star-studded wide receiving corps for American Heritage, its Denson who has been Mr. Reliable thus far this season. Throughout the course of the season, Denson has hauled in 69 passes for 991 yards and 15 touchdowns.
WR Jeffar Jean-Noel: The Georgia Tech commit has been the second option behind Denson on offense, with Jean-Noel catching 57 passes for 795 yards and six touchdowns.
LB Dylan Bennett: Anchoring the front seven of the Patriots’ defense is the senior linebacker, who currently leads the team with 61 total tackles, 17 them going for a loss and five sacks.
Jones Players to Watch
QB Dereon Coleman: The Miami signee is as calm as they come in the pocket as the senior quarterback has thrown for 2,749 yards, 28 touchdowns and only three picks this Florida high school football season.
WR Larry Miles: Coleman’s favorite target to throw to is the Nebraska signee as the senior looks to end his high school career with a state crown. Miles has caught 88 passes for 1,111 and 10 touchdowns.
OL Xavier Payne: The 6-foot-7, 275-pound Colorado offensive tackle signee will have the job of making sure Coleman stands upright throughout the afternoon against American Heritage’s pass rush.
EDGE Frederick Ards: The 2027 four-star EDGE rusher for the Tigers has been superb, racking up 73 tackles, 13 for loss and 11 sacks.
Where to Watch the Florida Class 4A state championship on livestream:
You can watch the American Heritage Patriots take on the Jones Tigers starting at 12:30 p.m. ET on NFHS Network.
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Sunshine State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of Florida.
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