We headed back to Winter Park High School for the second half of the first round in the eight-team Rotary Tip-Off Classic presented by the Rotary Club of Winter Park.
Consolation Round: Orlando Christian Prep vs. Daytona Beach Mainland
We were not able to make it to this contest but after seeing both teams play the previous night we knew what to expect. OCP’s 62-31 win was just that.
Ven-Allen Lubin and Isaiah Brown both scored 14 points for the victorious Warriors. Freshman Mikel Brown chipped in with 13 points.
Mainland’s Corey McDonald led all scorers with 15 points.
Winter Park HS vs. Sanford Seminole
Seminole gave those football players that play hoops a week off, so some key players were not available for Seminole.
Both teams got off to a sluggish start as the score was only 4-2 in favor of host school Winter Park. The pace picked up from there as each team found some success penetrating the lane and getting shots closer to the basket. After one quarter of play, Winter Park was up one, 10-9.
The lead exchanged hands a various occasions in the second quarter and with four minutes remaining until half-time Seminole had a 23-20 advantage. At that point, the Wildcats of Winter Park clamped down on defense. This resulted in an 11-4 run for them during the rest of the period, taking a 31-27 into the half-time locker room.
Seminole threatened a couple of times in the third period but each time Winter Park had an answer. The Wildcats were able to grow their lead to eight, 42-34, going into the final period.
Winter Park put the game away in the first minutes of the fourth quarter, going on an 8-0 run to go from eight points up to sixteen at 50-34. Seminole never got the margin below double-digits the rest of the way. The closest they got was the final twelve point margin of 61-49.
Winter Park was led by Josiah Dancy with 17 points while Daniel Benjamin contributed 11 points.
Seminole got 17 points from Uchenna Kellman and 13 points from Josiah Shackleford.
Orlando Edgewater vs. Orlando Central Florida Christian Academy (CFCA)
This was going to be a big ask of a young Edgewater team. CFCA is one of the top five teams in the Central Florida region and very experienced.
That didn’t matter to the “young guns” at Edgewater as they stayed with CFCA for the first four minutes of the contest and the score tied at 7-7. CFCA flexed their muscles a bit with an 8-0 run to end the period up 15-7, but it still felt like Edgewater had a chance.
An 11-2 run by CFCA over the first four minutes of the second quarter put a damper on that notion. CFCA’s variety of pressure defenses forced turnover or missed shots and CFCA was quick to take advantage. Edgewater was able to stay even for the rest of the period but the damage had been done. CFCA led by eighteen at the break, 35-17.
If you thought CFCA might take their collective foot off the gas in the second half, you would be sorely mistaken. They pushed their lead to 51-29 by the end of the third period. With three minutes remaining in the fourth, the running clock kicked in at 72-37. Only then did CFCA let up. Still, a statement was made with a 74-42 victory.
CFCA got 15 points each from Ta’Veon Jones and Jamar Houston
Edgewater’ Jaylen Smith had 13 points while Darius Washington III collected 11 points.