We took in Day One of the Florida Get Down in downtown Orlando the day after Thanksgiving. The seven games featured quality teams from across the Sunshine State as well as a few visitors from north of the border, a.k.a Georgia.
Game One: Daytona Beach Mainland vs. Bradenton Victory Rock Prep
Victory Rock Prep plays in the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA), one of the tougher high school basketball leagues in the country. Mainland is annually a contender for a deep playoff run but they were at a serious size disadvantage in this contest.
The first quarter was fairly even with VRP up by just five, 16-11, going into the second period. That is when VRP’s size, length and athleticism began to take its toll on Mainland. VRP was up 28-17 at the break, 48-33 after three, and finished with a win by the score of 66-48.
Kade Manley, a 6’0 sophomore, was named Mainland’s Player of the Game with 18 points.
Andre Ngomabie, a 6’10 senior, earned Player of the Game honors for Victory Rock with 24 points.
Game Two: Orlando Timber Creek vs. Smyrna (GA) Campbell
The first “interstate” game of the day, the score was tied at 10-10 midway through the first quarter. Timber Creek took a 15-12 lead into the second period, at which time Campbell took control. A 10-3 run over the first four minutes led to a 30-24 Campbell lead at the break. In the second half, Campbell slowly increased its lead throughout the third and fourth quarters. With just under two minutes to play, both teams emptied their benches. Campbell won easily, 56-34.
Dontae Verderber, a 6’6 senior, was named Timber Creek Player of the Game
Rhys Cotton, a 6’0 senior, was named Campbell Player of the Game.
Game Three: Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson vs. Gainesville The Rock School
We had this one circled on the calendar for a while. BA is a traditional power in Broward County which has arguably the best high school basketball in the state. The Rock is always a contender in the SIAA.
The first quarter went as expected with both teams coming out with great energy and effort. The Rock led 14-11 entering the second quarter. A 6-2 run by The Rock gave them a 20-13 advantage and BA called a timeout with 4:30 left in the half. It didn’t have the desired effect and at the break The Rock was up a dozen, 30-18.
In the second half, it seemed that The Rock had an answer for every run that Boyd Anderson made. The Rock never extended its lead but never let BA get within more than eight at any one time the remainder of the contest. The Rock won by the final score of 60-47.
Terrance Walker, a 6’5 senior, was named Boyd Anderson Player of the Game.
Evan Sterck, a 6’1 senior and Jacksonville University signee, was The Rock Player of the Game.
Game Four: Leesburg vs. Williston
Williston is a “rural” school power, having won the last two Class 1A state titles. Leesburg has had a long run of success and while it plays in the bigger 4A classification, it carries the same high level of local pride that smaller schools like Williston do.
Williston got out quickly, leading 10-2 with three minutes remaining in the first quarter, forcing a Leesburg timeout. Down 14-7 entering the second quarter, Leesburg began to get things back on track. With three minutes left in the period, Leesburg was within two at 18-16. Williston was able to regain its feet a bit and at the break Williston led by four, 24-20.
The Red Devils of Williston started the third quarter off with a 6-0 run, pushing their margin to double-digits. This time Leesburg was unable to stop the slide. Down 40-25 heading into the final period, Leesburg did all it could to make a run but was unable to dent their deficit very much. In the end, Williston won by a score of 53-42.
Angelo Moton, a 6’6 junior, was named Leesburg Player of the Game with 16 points.
De’Andre Harvey, a 6’4 junior, was named Williston Player of the Game with 24 points.
Game Five: Orlando Bishop Moore vs. Hillgrove, GA
The second interstate game of the day, the two teams started slow. After the first four minutes the score was only 6-6 and after one Hillgrove was up 10-7. In the second period, Bishop Moore took a 14-13 lead at the six minute mark but was unable to hold it. By the midway point of the period, Hillgrove was up 17-16 and led 20-18 at the break.
Hillgrove took control in the third quarter, increasing the margin to ten, 32-22, with 3:34 left in the quarter, forcing a Bishop Moore timeout. It didn’t help as Bishop Moore was on the wrong end of a 41-25 score with one quarter left to play. To their credit, the Bishop Moore players never quit in the final period, playing hard until the final horn with the scoreboard reading 52-38 in Hillgrove’s favor.
Connor Corris, a 6’8 junior, was the Bishop Moore Player of the Game, finishing with 13 points.
Asa Montgomery, a 6’6 sophomore, was the Hillgrove Player of the game, finishing with 15 points.
Game Six: Tallahassee Rickards vs. Waycross (GA) Ware County
The two schools came a long way to play each other in the final “interstate” game of the day. Rickards jumped out quickly and led 10-4 with 3:30 left in the first. Leading 17-12 entering the second quarter, Rickards slowly built up its lead. That margin grew to ten, 26-16, with two minutes remaining the half. Ware County was able to make it an eight point game at the break, 27-19.
Rickards began the third quarter with an 8-0 run, once again pushing its lead into double digits. Ware County found itself in a thirteen point hole, 45-32, going into the fourth quarter. They made a solid run, getting to within seven, 50-43, with four minutes left in the contest. However, Rickards was able to hold Ware off and take home the win, 54-49.
B.J. Plummer, a 6’5 senior and University of North Florida signee, was the Rickards Player of the Game with 10 points.
Jarvis Wright, a 6’2 senior, was the Ware County Player of the Game with 22 points.
Game Seven: Winter Haven vs. Orlando Jones
Friday’s finale became the best game of the day with several lead changes and a chance for either team to win up until the very end.
Jones controlled the first quarter, but just barely. The Tigers led 16-15 going into the second period. A 9-5 Jones run over the first four minutes gave the Tigers “huge” 25-20 lead but Winter Haven didn’t back down. The Blue Devils responded with a run of their own, 8-3, to tie the game at 28-28 at the half.
Winter Haven continued its momentum in the third quarter, taking a 38-35 lead midway through the period and forcing a Jones timeout. By the end of the period, it was now Winter Haven with a “huge” five point advantage, 43-38. Winter Haven led by three, 48-45, with four minutes left to play. Then things got wild. Jones made a run to take a brief lead only to have Winter Haven respond and take it back. Jones led by three, 53-50, with time running down when Winter Haven attempted a three to tie the game and send it into overtime. Jones was whistled for a foul, giving Winter Have three shots. The first free throw was off target. The next two were made so Winter Haven’s only hope was to force a quick turnover and score. That didn’t happen and Jones held on to win by the score of 53-52.
Troy Boswell, a 6’5 senior, was named Winter Haven Player of the Game, scoring 19 points.
Kenyon Holmes, a 6’4 senior, was named Jones Player of the Game, scoring 21 points.