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Men's Basketball 3/6/2026 2:00:00 PM Braden Mottor

Eagles Finish 2025-26 Season with Memorable Moments and Senior Leadership

Season Recap:
The Eagles opened the 2025–26 season with a veteran-heavy roster made up of four freshmen, four sophomores, one junior, and six seniors. Throughout the season, the team battled through a challenging schedule filled with tight contests, ultimately finishing with a 13-12 overall record. The Eagles posted a 5-5 record in NCCAA South Region play, went 9-4 at home inside the Nest, and finished 4-7 in road games.

The season began with a competitive road matchup against NAIA opponent University of Mobile. The Eagles narrowly fell 75-79 on the court, but due to a transfer infraction by Mobile, the game was later ruled a 2-0 forfeit victory for PCC. The Eagles quickly bounced back in their home opener, hosting Baptist University of Florida in their first region contest of the season and securing a convincing 90-73 win.

Early in the season, the Eagles alternated wins and losses through their first five games before building momentum with back-to-back victories over Arlington Baptist and LaGrange College. One of the highlights of the year came when the Eagles traveled to Troy University for a Division I exhibition matchup. In a strong performance against the Trojans, Kaiden Pack led the way with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals, while Liam Gerdts added 17 points and 3 blocks.

Late November featured a pair of thrilling overtime games. After a heartbreaking 88-89 overtime loss to Huntingdon on Saturday night, the Eagles responded two days later with an 85-82 overtime victory over Welch College in another tightly contested battle.

The team then embarked on its annual January road trip, facing Warren Wilson, Boyce, Welch, Toccoa Falls, and Bob Jones. Despite playing competitively in several games, the Eagles struggled to close out contests and finished the trip with a 1-4 record.

Returning home, the Eagles found their rhythm and put together their best stretch of the season with four straight victories over Appalachian Bible, Southeastern Baptist, LB Wallace, and Toccoa Falls. The win over Toccoa Falls came in dramatic fashion with an 89-87 overtime victory, continuing a trend of tightly contested matchups that defined much of the Eagles' season.

Following the four-game win streak, the Eagles hit a brief skid, dropping their next three games, including two on the road. However, the team finished the regular season strong, going 2-1 in their final three contests. The stretch included a statement home victory over rival Bob Jones, where the Eagles earned a 74-68 win inside the Nest. After a 14-point loss on Senior Night in the regular season finale, the Eagles turned their attention to the 2026 NCCAA South Region Tournament.

Entering the tournament as the No. 4 seed, the Eagles drew Baptist University of Florida in the quarterfinals, with No. 1 ranked Bob Jones awaiting the winner. With the season series against BUF tied 1-1, the stage was set for another competitive matchup.

The quarterfinal game proved to be one of the most memorable contests of the season. In the highest scoring game of the year for PCC, the Eagles and BUF battled through double overtime, totaling 50 minutes of play in a thrilling back-and-forth contest. Despite a remarkable effort, the Eagles fell just short at the buzzer, losing 109-112. Three seniors delivered outstanding performances in their final game as Eagles. Kaiden Pack recorded 43 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists. Liam Gerdts added 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 blocks, while Deric Woods contributed 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Although the season ended in heartbreaking fashion, the senior leaders left everything on the court in their final performance.

As the Eagles turn the page on the 2025-26 season, the program says goodbye to a senior class of six players who helped shape the identity and competitiveness of this year's team. Their leadership, experience, and commitment played a major role in the Eagles' success throughout the season, highlighted by memorable performances, thrilling overtime battles, and a strong home record inside the Nest. While the loss of six seniors marks the end of an important chapter, the foundation they helped build leaves plenty of optimism for the future. With valuable experience returning and a new group of Eagles ready to step into larger roles, the program looks ahead to next season with excitement and anticipation.

Season Honors:
Liam Gerdts – First Team All-Region
Kaiden Pack – Second Team All-Region

Season Leaders:
Kaiden Pack: 481 points, 34.7 minutes per game, 147 rebounds, 105 assists, 54 steals
Liam Gerdts: 432 points, 34.4 minutes per game, 131 rebounds, 78 assists, 36 blocks
Josh Azucena: 214 points, 24.6 minutes per game, 83 rebounds, 57 assists, 25 steals
Raul Bertinato 235 points, 28.4 minutes per game, 196 rebounds, 55 assists, 30 steals, 17 blocks
Paul Stickles: 147 points, 32.3 minutes per game, 84 rebounds, 77 assists, 32 steals

What's Next:
Stay updated on the Eagles' off-season by following @eaglespccmbb on Instagram. For full coverage of all PCC Eagles teams, events, and schedules, follow @eaglespcc on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

Players Mentioned

#1 Paul Stickles: G; 6' 1"; Junior

#2 Josh Azucena: G; 6' 1"; Senior

#3 Kaiden Pack: G; 6' 2"; Senior

#13 Raul Bertinato: G; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#22 Deric Woods: F; 6' 6"; Senior

#50 Liam Gerdts: F; 6' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#1 Paul Stickles
: 6' 1"; Junior
: G

#2 Josh Azucena
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G

#3 Kaiden Pack
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

#13 Raul Bertinato
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: G

#22 Deric Woods
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F

#50 Liam Gerdts
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F