LAKE WALES, Fla. – The St. Thomas men's basketball team started a new winning streak with a 68-61 win at Warner on Saturday. The Bobcats (16-7, 9-2), who were coming off their first loss in 14 games to No. 1 Northwood, responded with two complete halves of basketball at Warner where they led for nearly the entire game. 

Senior center Everson Lacerda led STU with 13 points, six rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in 31 minutes played.  Senior forward David Nesbitt added 10 points and five rebounds.

The Bobcat bench came up big combining to score 30 of STU's 68 total points.  In contrast, Warner's bench scored just six points.  Senior guard Eugene Davis led the reserves with 13 points, four rebounds, and two steals.  Senior guard Robert Ford scored nine points, while forwards Chuck Sanders and Heberto Guanipa each added four.

St. Thomas scored the game's first basket, then took the lead 5-4 with 17:37 to go in the first half.  The Bobcats held the lead the entire first half capped off by a jumper by Lacerda to end the period and make the halftime score 30-22.  The Royals started the second half with a 7-0 run to give Warner a 31-30 lead with 18 minutes to go in the game.  The game would be tied four times from there, and Warner would again take the lead 42-41 with 12 minutes to play.   A 16-8 run, led by production from Davis and Ford, would give the Bobcats a nine point lead, 58-49.
Again, the Royals would battle back on their home floor, tying the game at 59 with 1:32 to play.  However free throws by Davis, Lacerda, and guard Kevin Hincapie would secure the St. Thomas victory.

With the win, St. Thomas swept the season series with Warner, having beat the Royals 84-70 on STU's home floor on January 14.

The Bobcats return to action vs. Johnson & Wales, with the first of five final conference regular season games, on Thursday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m., at the Fernandez Center.