Consolation Semi #1: Weston Sagemont vs. Miami Riviera Prep

Sagemont almost made a remarkable comeback in round one before falling to Utah Prep while Riviera Prep, playing without 7’0 senior Gustavo Guimaraes due to a knee injury, ending up on the wrong end of a double-digit loss to CIA-Bella Vista Prep out of Arizona.  Both teams are using this event as a springboard to next week’s district tournament and run to Lakeland.

The first four minutes of the opening quarter was a well-played affair.  At that point, the score was 10-8 in favor of Sagemont.  Sagemont then ripped off a 7-0 run, finishing the quarter up nine at 19-10.

Riviera Prep looked to get back into the game with a 5-0 run to open the second quarter.  Sagemont answered with a 5-0 run of their own and then some.  Shots became tough to come by for Riviera Prep and Sagemont started finding the range from behind the arc.  With three minutes left to play, Sagemont led 32-18, forcing a Riviera Prep timeout.  It didn’t help as Sagemont finished the period with a 9-2 run, highlighted by a steal and between-the-legs slam by Sagemont’s 6’7 junior Kevin Thomas.  At the break, Sagemont’s lead was a commanding 41-20.

The third quarter belonged to Sagemont.  No matter what Riviera Prep tried, Sagemont had an answer.  Over the first four minutes of the period, Sagemont outscored Riviera Prep 20-11, increasing the margin to thirty, 61-31.  Riviera Prep played evenly from that point on but heading into the final period the Bulldogs were still down big, 69-41.

Riviera Prep sat their main players for the final period.  Sagemont didn’t and this allowed the Lions to extend their lead.  With four minutes to go, Sagemont reached running clock status with an 80-44 lead.  Sagemont finally sat their starters with 3:30 left to play.  The final scored ended up being an even forty points, 91-51.

Patrick Liburd led four Sagemont players in double-figures with 26 points, going 6-7 from behind the arc in the process.  Anthony Knowles was 4-6 from deep and finished with 22 points.  Matt Able added 19 points and Kevin Thomas contributed 13 points.  In all, Sagemont shot 18-30 from deep and had 23 assists on 32 made baskets.

For Riviera Prep, Jeremy Jenkins led the team with 11 points while Myles Fuentes added 10 points.

Consolation Semi #2: Windermere Prep vs. AZ Compass Prep

Windermere Prep is looking to bounce back from last night’s large loss to host Montverde Academy while AZ Compass Prep is seeking redemption for a less-than-stellar outing against Calvary Christian.

The teams played evenly the first four minutes as the game was tied 6-6.  AZ Prep went on a run thanks to their superior size inside to lead 16-8 but Windermere Prep hit back-to-back threes to get to within two by the end of the quarter with the score 16-14.

AZ Prep pushed its lead back to six, 22-16, midway thru the second quarter.  At that point, AZ Compass Prep asserted itself at both ends of the floor.  Windermere Prep found good shots hard to come on offense while on defense they just couldn’t get stops.  AZ Compass finished out the period with a 13-4 run to up its lead to fifteen, 35-20.

Windermere Prep was able to stay even with AZ Compass in third quarter as both teams scored just ten points each.  In the final period, Windermere Prep was able to make a couple of runs, one to get the margin down to eight 49-41, with just under four minutes to play and then to seven, 55-48, with 1:45 to play.  However, that would be Windermere Preps final points as AZ Compass finished the game with an 6-0 run to win 61-48. For the game, AZ Compass Prep out rebounded Windermere Prep 38-20 and the Lakers were credited with only one offensive rebound.

AZ Compass was led by Kaden House with 16 points, followed by Kalek House with 11 points and Davis Fogle with 10 points.

For Windermere Prep, Brandon Bass led all scorers with 19 points while Sam Shoptaw finished with 15 points.

SEMI-FINAL #1: Utah Prep vs. CIA Bella Vista

Both teams are in the EYBL Scholastic and were impressive in opening night wins.  It will be interesting to see how top-ranked senior A.J. Dybantsa handles the parade of length and size that CIA Bella Vista will throw at him.

Utah Prep got out to an early 6-5 lead at the midway point of the first period.  Actually, it was Dybantsa that got out to that lead as he scored all six Utah Prep points.  Utah Prep built its lead from there but CIA was able to get back to within three, 16-13 by the end of the first quarter.

It didn’t take long for CIA to tie the game at 18-18 in the second period.  The momentum and the lead would change hands often but when the horn sounded to end the quarter, CIA had a slime two-point lead at 31-29. Dybantsa had 13 of team’s 29 points.

CIA maintained its lead through much of the third quarter.  Seemingly every time Utah Prep had a chance to tie or take the lead, CIA either scored or stopped Utah Prep from scoring.  With one minute to play in the third, Utah Prep was able to tie the game at 40-40 after a Dybansta drive.  That momentum didn’t last long as CIA closed out the period with a 5-1 run to lead 45-41 with one quarter left to play.

A quick four points by Utah Prep tied the game at 45-45 with just under seven minutes to play.  CIA began to pull away and led by eight, 62-54 with two minutes to play.  Utah Prep then went into scramble mode, which produced results.  With one minute to play, Dybantsa rose up and drained a three pointer to get to within three at 63-60.  CIA hit three free throws on back-to-back possessions, but another three by J.J. Mandaquitt of Utah Prep made it a three-point margin once again with twenty seconds to play.  CIA hit two free throws to make it a five-point game with eleven seconds left.  After a timeout, Utah Prep was unable to get the ball to Dybantsa and the resulting three-point shot was off-target.  CIA-Bella Vista advances to the title game with a 68-63 win.

CIA was led by Miles Sadler and Rokiem Green, each with 15 points.  Jaion Pitt added 13 points.

Dybantsa finished with 33 points and 12 rebounds for Utah Prep.  Mandaquitt finished with 14 points.

Semi-Final #2: Montverde Academy vs. Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian

It will a tall order for Calvary to keep its perfect record intact going against the Montverde Eagles on their homecourt and in the semi-finals of their tournament.

It was a fast 5-0 start by Calvary and that five- point advantage was still in play at the four minute mark as Calvary led 9-4.  Montverde’s threes were simply not falling against the Calvary zone.  Things went from bad to worse for Montverde as Calvary finished the quarter with a 7-2 run to lead by ten, 16-6, after one period.  Something tells me six points in a quarter for Montverde is a first.

Montverde worked to get the margin down in the second period and with just over four minutes to play were within four at 18-14.  Calvary then hit a three to push the lead to seven, 21-14 with just over three minutes to play.  Once again, Montverde made a run and was within four with under ten seconds left in the period.  However, Cayden Daughtry of Calvary hit a logo-deep three just before the buzzer to put Calvary back up seven, 30-23, at the break.

In the third quarter, Calvary was able to keep Montverde at bay.  Down 36-32, it seemed that no matter what Montverde tried, Calvary was able to keep one step ahead.  Down five with what would be the last possession of the quarter, Montverde finally got the break it needed as 6’4 senior Dante Allen put back a missed shot just before the buzzer to bring the Eagles to within one possession at 47-44.

Montverde tied the game at 47-47 early in the period and now it was a new ball game.  The teams swapped two-point baskets on each of their respective next two possessions and with four minutes left to play the score was tied at 51-51.  Hakeem Weeks, a 6’10 Montverde senior, connected on a mid-range jumper to give the Eagles their first lead of the game at 53-51.  On the ensuing Calvary possession, Weeks blocked a shot and recovered the ball.  A bucket inside by 6’6 senior C.J. Ingram soon thereafter gave Montverde a two-possession lead which it would not surrender.  An 11-4 run to close out the game after being tied at 51-51 gave Montverde its ticket to the finals with a 62-55 win.

Ingram led Montverde with 16 points while 6’7 senior Trent Sisley added 13 points and Allen finished with 12 points.

For Calvary, Daughtry paced the team with 18 points while 6’6 junior Colin Paul added 15 points.