Central Florida Christian Academy in Ocoee hosted this year’s Sun Bash Orlando the past two days. Put on by the Hoop Vibe, this event brings a great deal of talent from across the state to Central Florida for two days of high-level hoops to get the Thanksgiving weekend started off the right way. We were unable to make the first contest of the day, so we pick up with game two.
Game Two: Sarasota HS vs. Deltona Pine Ridge
The first quarter was a fast-paced affair as both teams looked to use the three-point shot as a primary weapon. The Sailors of Sarasota had the most success, thanks to a trio of triples from 6’2 junior Johnny Lackaff, to lead 23-14 after one. The pace slowed down a bit in the second quarter. Sarasota seemed to have an answer every time Pine Ridge made a run to close the gap. Overall, Pine Ridge won the quarter 14-13, but Sarasota’s lead was eight, 36-28, at the half.
Pine Ridge scraped away at the lead in the third period and was within five, 42-37, at the midpoint. Sarasota continued to make enough plays to keep them at arm’s length and led 51-44 going into the fourth quarter. A 6-0 run by Pine Ridge brought them to within 51-50 with 6:30 left to play. Sarasota then drained a three but two buckets by Pine Ridge tied the game at 54-54 with 5:30 left to play. Sarasota was able to take back control of the game at that point and held Pine Ridge off at the free throw line to win 68-63.
Lackaff led Sarasota with 28 points while 6’8 senior David Young added 17 points.
For Pine Ridge, both 6’5 senior Wilmer Delariosa and 6’7 junior Henry Robinson each dropped in 25 points.
Game Three: Windermere HS vs Riviera Beach Suncoast
A pair of guard-oriented teams, Windermere got on top of the visiting Chargers early and led 18-11 after one quarter of play. That margin was nearly wiped out in the first two minutes of play in the second quarter. Suncoast got to within 25-23, forcing a Windermere timeout. The stoppage in play clearly helped and Windermere re-established its seven-point margin at the half, 37-30.
Suncoast got some good fortune early in the third quarter. The officiating tightened up and in less that two minutes, Windermere had been called for five fouls, putting Suncoast in the bonus the rest of the quarter. Down 39-33 at this point, it looked like Suncoast had the momentum. Looks can be deceiving. Windermere closed out the third by outscoring the Chargers 18-9 to build a 57-42 advantage with one period remaining. Suncoast would not get the margin below double-digits in the fourth until their final basket made the score 67-59 as the horn sounded.
Windermere was led by 6’5 junior Bryce Hoffert with 25 points. Ben Bunnell, a 6’4 senior, added 17 points while 6’3 senior Lucas Boyd tallied 16 points.
For Suncoast, Jamorey Harris, a 5’11 senior and Kyree McKelton, a 6’0 senior, each contributed 16 points.
Game Four: St. Petersburg Northside Christian vs. Fort Lauderdale Prolific Prep Regional
Northside Christian has a new coach and several new players while Prolific Prep is a new program to Florida. The first four minutes of the game found both teams a little tight and the score was only 6-4 at that point. An 11-4 run by Northside over the remainder of the period put them up 17-8 heading into the second period. Prolific Prep had several opportunities to shrink the deficit to a possession or two, but at the half, Northside maintained a seven-point lead, 31-24.
The third quarter was played evenly and heading into the final period, Prolific was down just six points, 43-37. In the fourth quarter, Northside slowly built its lead to double-digits and lead 49-38 with 4:30 left to play. From there, a 9-0 run by Northside pretty much put the game away. Prolific got to playing too fast and Northside took advantage with some easy transition buckets, turning the game into a 68-43 blowout win for Northside.
Northside was led by 6’7 senior Jonathan Bender with 14 points while 6’3 senior Ian Allen added 12 points.
Preston Echols, a 6’6 junior, led Prolific with 11 points.
Game Five: Winter Park Lake Howell vs. Ocoee Central Florida Christian Academy
Both teams played the night before and came out sluggish. The score was just 4-1 in favor of CFCA after the first four minutes. Things picked up a bit from there and CFCA led 12-9 heading into the second quarter. CFCA maintained that three-point margin, 21-18, four minutes into the period. At that point, Lake Howell got on a roll. Thanks to ten points in the quarter from 6’0 sophomore Johnas Maurice, Lake grabbed a 32-28 lead at the half.
Lake Howell stretched their margin to eight, 39-31, midway thru the third quarter. Now it was CFCA’s turn to go on a run. A 10-4 spurt to end the third brought CFCA to within two points at 43-41 heading into the final period. CFCA tied the game at 43-43 on the first possession of the fourth period. Lake Howell seemed to run out of gas as CFCA wrestled away control of the contest. Lake Howell kept it close until time was running short and it had to foul to get the ball back. CFCA hit its free throws to win by the score of 62-55.
For CFCA, 6’5 senior Alex DiPaolo led the way with 16 points. Dylan Campbell, a 6’4 senior, also scored 16 points.
Maurice led Lake Howell with 15 points while 6’5 senior Isaac Buckley added 13 points.
Game Six: Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic vs. Orlando The First Academy
Santa Fe Catholic got the jump early on a taller and deeper TFA squad. TFA was able to awaken in time to be down by just one, 12-11, going into the second period. Santa Fe continued to hold on tight to its lead and midway through the second led by a score of 20-15. A 6-0 run by TFA over the next minute-plus gave the Royals its first lead of the contest and forced a Santa Fe timeout. TFA’s run continued after that brief stoppage and at the break, TFA led by just four, 28-24.
A 10-2 run by The First Academy at the beginning of the third quarter grew the Royals’ lead to double-digits. The score was 41-31 at the four-minute mark. Santa Fe was able to regroup and while they didn’t make much of a dent in the deficit, they didn’t let TFA grow the lead. Heading into the fourth quarter, the margin was a manageable nine points, 44-35. That all changed with a 6-0 run by TFA to open the period. With four minutes left, TFA’s lead was seventeen, 55-38. Ultimately, TFA won big 70-43.
The First Academy was led by 6’0 junior Cory McPherson with 17 points. L.J. Bacon, a 6’2 sophomore, added 15 points while 6’0 senior Max Simmons went for 14 points.
Santa Fe Catholic was led by 6’5 junior Shannon McArthur with 13 points.
Game Seven: Jacksonville Providence vs. Orlando Dr. Phillips
Providence lost a close one to Orlando Olympia the night before and was looking to make amends. The teams pretty much traded baskets the entire first period and after eight minutes the score was tied at 11-11. That competitiveness of the game continued into the second quarter. Neither team could wrestle control or momentum of the game. At the break, Providence led by a meager two points, 25-23.
In the third quarter, Dr. Phillips found itself ahead at the midway point by one, 31-30. At that point, Providence closed out the period with an 11-4 run, grabbing its biggest lead of the game, 41-35, with one period left to play. Providence continued to maintain that level of lead well into the final quarter. DP made several runs to get to within one possession but each time Providence was able to hold them off. Providence won by a scant three points, 53-50.
Colton Nuualittia, a 6’8 sophomore, led Providence with twelve points. Marvin Christie, a 6’3 senior and Will Stewart, a 6’3 sophomore, each tallied 11 points.
For Dr. Phillips, 6’0 sophomore Isaiah Gillard led the way with 17 points.