The First Academy hosted Lake Highland Prep in a duel between Central Florida private school powerhouses.

TFA’s Cory McPherson, a 5’11 junior, put the Royals on the board first with a drive and score.  The Highlanders were unphased, scoring the next eight points to lead 8-2 midway through the first quarter.  TFA then dropped in a three and the game tightened up.  With a little over a minute to go in the period, TFA was down just two at 10-8.  Lake Highland closed out the first with a 5-0 run to take a 15-8 lead into the second period.

TFA scored four quick points to get to within three, 15-12, before calling a timeout with five minutes to play in the half.  The Royals once again kept the game close and with four minutes gone in the period, were down just four, 18-14.  At that point, TFA’s 6’10 junior Kyle Blair went to the bench and Lake Highland went to work.  This produced an 8-2 run to close out the half with Lake Highland up ten, 26-16.

The Royals kept pace with LHP for much of the third period.  With 3:30 left in the quarter, the Highlanders had a 31-22 margin.  TFA took McPherson out for a brief rest, but in that time, Lake Highland scored seven unanswered points to go up by sixteen, 38-22.  McPherson was quickly reinserted but the Highlanders run continued.  With one period left to play, Lake Highland had a comfortable 42-24 lead.

Lake Highland took advantage of the Royals trying to extend defensive pressure to attempt to get back into the game and the result was a 10-3 run that pushed the margin over twenty points.  Lake Highland grew its lead to 60-29 with 2:20 left to play before both teams emptied their respective benches.  Lake Highland won handily, 64-35.

The Highlanders placed four players in double-figures.  Michael Madaume, a 6’5 senior committed to Columbia in the Ivy League, led the team with 17 points.  Mark Dadlani, a 6’3 junior, scored 15 points, Shiva Atwal, a 6’5 senior, drained four threes on his way to 14 points while 6’6 sophomore N’mare Collins came off the bench to score 10 points.

McPherson was the only Royal to score in double-figures, notching 15 points.

Madaume showcased his versatility in this contest.  Along with his scoring, he pulled down no less than seven rebounds, had at least three assists to go along with some stellar defensive work on the perimeter.  Madaume drained his only three point attempt as his main scoring  came from finding holes in the TFA zone and either slashing thru them to score or getting the ball near the rim after making the right read and cut.

There were times where McPherson of TFA looked like the best player in the game.  He has great speed and quickness and knows how to use his physical gifts to his advantage.  He had no less than four steals in the contest and McPherson was quick to attack the rack afterwards.  He is disruptive in the passing lanes, has quick hands and feet to pressure the ball and stay in front of the dribbler, and gets to more than his fair share of 50/50 balls.  McPherson is coming along as a perimeter shooter; he makes them with frequency given some time and space.  He is at his best when he can get paint touches and usually makes the right pass vs shot read.