We took in the first day of the inaugural Central Florida vs. South Florida Challenge, presented by Hoop Legendz, at Edgewater in Orlando the first day of Thanksgiving week. Four of the better teams from Orlando took on four traditionally powerful programs from South Florida.
Game One: Orlando Jones vs. Miami Norland
Norland had the longest drive of the four South Florida schools but it didn’t seem to affect them. It was back-and-forth in the first four minutes with Jones holding an 8-7 advantage. The lead changed hands a couple of times for the remainder of the quarter but after the first four minutes it was all tied up at 12-12.
Norland began the second period with a 5-0 run and looked like they may pull away but the Tigers of Jones regrouped with a 7-2 run of their own to tie the game at 19-19 with two minutes left in the half. Norland was able to get the last basket of the period to lead by two at the break, 23-21.
Once again, the Vikings of Norland started the quarter with a quick 5-0 run. This time, they didn’t let up, stretching their advantage to ten, 34-24, with four minutes left to go in the period. In all, Norland outscored Jones 22-10 in the period to take a hefty 45-31 lead going into the final period of play.
Despite Jones getting the margin under double-digits for a brief time, the fourth quarter was anti-climactic. Norland was able to eat clock and hold off Jones from the foul line. The Vikings emerged victorious with a 57-43 win.
Norland put three players in double-figures, led by 6’4 senior Jahquori Lobarge with 18 points. Omari Meda, a 6’6 junior, followed with 15 points while 5’9 junior Brandon Cabrera drilled four shots from behind the arc for 12 points.
Christopher Oliver, a 6’4 junior, paced Jones with 12 points.
Game Two: Orlando Oak Ridge vs. Stuart Martin County
The Pioneers of Oak Ridge were coming off a big win over SoCal Academy this past weekend. Martin County got off to a good start to lead 11-8 midway thru the opening quarter. That’s when Oak Ridge turned up the full-court pressure and it seemed like there were more than five players on the floor at a time for the Pioneers. A 10-4 run over the rest of the first gave Oak Ridge an 18-15 lead.
The Pioneers didn’t let off the gas and a 9-0 run to start the second quarter gave them a double-digit lead. Martin County committed several live ball turnovers during this time and Oak Ridge was quick to take advantage. At the half, the Oak Ridge lead had ballooned to seventeen points, 37-20.
The third and fourth quarters were pretty much the same. Oak Ridge’s defensive pressure turned steals in to quick scores, some of them highlight worthy. Martin County was never able to get the margin into single digits and the Pioneers rolled away with a convincing 85-56 win.
Four players scored in double-figures for Oak Ridge, led by 6’3 senior and UCF signee Donovan Williams with 20 points. He may have had a triple-double if our count of rebounds and steals is correct. Jordan Smith, a 6’7 freshman, tossed in 17 points, 5’11 junior Whitfield Bynoe added 16 points and 5’10 junior Cayden Earl account for 10 points.
Martin County got 17 points from 6’0 senior Jake Fischer and 11 points from 6’7 senior Brandon Brazell.
Game Three: Orlando Edgewater vs. Coral Springs
After watching Coral Springs a little over a week ago at the Sunshine State Pre-Season Classic in Fort Lauderdale, we thought this could be an intriguing game. However, due to illness and injury, Coral Springs only brought eight players. The host Eagles took advantage quickly and held a 7-0 lead midway thru the first. Coral Springs was able to drop in a three-pointer a bit later on, but that was the only points they would score in the period as host Edgewater was up big, 16-3, going into the second period.
Coral Springs trimmed the deficit to under ten, 20-11, midway thru the quarter. Edgewater then got on a roll and pushed its advantage to fifteen, 31-16, at the break.
The third period was very similar to the first two. Coral Springs would battle to get points on the board but Edgewater seemed to answer every Coral Springs bucket with one of their own. With one quarter remaining, the Eagles lead was nineteen, 44-25.
While Coral Springs never seriously challenged in the final period, they never stopped playing hard. Edgewater maintained its lead in the high teens-low twenties throughout the eight minutes to win comfortably, 62-44.
While Edgewater only placed two players in double-figures, eleven Eagles players scored. Jacari Lofton, a 6’6 senior, had 12 points while 6’4 junior Julian Fox added 11 points.
For Coral Springs, 5’7 senior Craig Bryant had 13 points while 6’2 senior Matt Croissy contributed 11 points.
Game Four: Orlando Evans vs. Fort Lauderdale Stranahan
Save for a late run by St. Thomas Aquinas in last season’s title game, this might have been a matchup of state champs. Evans lost much from last season’s 6A state runner-up while a lot came back for Stranahan’s run at a second Class 4A title.
The opening was a back-and-forth affair early on. Stranahan led 7-5 after the first four minutes. When the horn sounded to end the period, the Dragons lead had extended to 16-12.
In the second quarter, the Dragons continued to have a grip on the lead but Evans never let them pull away. Both sides made it difficult to score for the other and at the break, Stranahan led by just five, 26-21.
In the opening moments of the third quarter, Stranahan went on a 7-1 run, extended their lead to 33-22 with 4:23 left in the period, forcing an Evans timeout. While the break in play stopped the bleeding for the Trojans, they were unable to put a dent in the deficit. That eleven-point margin held up going into the fourth quarter with Stranahan on top 40-29.
With 2:30 left in the contest and Stranahan the owner of a 54-40 lead, the game looked pretty much over. Evans had other ideas and over the next 1:15, cut the gap to 56-51. It seemed like we had a new ball game, but Stranahan was able to regroup. Evans got no closer than those five points and Stranahan earned a hard fought 60-55 win.
Stranahan was led by 6’10 senior Isaiah Brown with 14 points. Kendrick Hardy, a 5’9 senior, added 13 points while 5’10 junior Damari Foster contributed 10 points.
For Evans, 6’2 junior Abimael Belleus led all scorers with 29 points. Dewayne Dixon, a 6’10 senior, finished with 14 points.