Windermere Prep was the site of the Orlando Health Hoop Fest this past Saturday. Six games were played throughout the day and all but one was highly competitive for the full thirty-two minutes (or more).
Game #1: Orlando Cypress Creek vs. Jacksonville Bishop Kenny
We admittedly didn’t see the entire game, getting to the gym midway through the fourth quarter. It seems like we got there as the drama was just unfolding. Cypress Creek was down four but connected on a three-pointer with 7.5 seconds left to draw within one. Force to foul, Cypress Creek put BK on the line. Only one of two free throws were made. Cypress Creek got the ball inbounds and rushed it up the floor. A desperation heave was off target but the whistle sounded. BK was called for a foul with 0.5 seconds on the clock and Cypress Creek was shooting three shots for the win. Creek could only make two of the three, and the game headed into overtime. In the OT, Creek got ahead early and stayed there, ultimately winning by the score of 58-55. Kingston Baez, a 6’0 junior, led Cypress Creek with 15 points.
Game #2: Eustis vs. Sarasota
For the first four minutes of the game, the Panthers of Eustis and the Sailors of Sarasota traded baskets and the lead. Eustis held a 7-6 lead at that point but Sarasota went on an 8-0 run to go up on top and led by eight, 17-9 after one quarter of play. Eustis switched up defenses and extended the pressure in the second and it yielded some results. The Panthers were back to within four with four minutes left in the period. However, same as the first quarter, Sarasota would figure things out and extend its lead. The score was 28-20 in favor of the Sailors at the break.
The third quarter mirrored the first two, with Eustis making a run and Sarasota ultimately holding off the Panthers and maintaining a seven to eight point advantage. Late in the final period, things got VERY interesting. Eustis got to within 47-45 with 1:18 to play after three free throws from junior Timothy Key. Sarasota’s senior guard Michael Drayton converted a three-point play on the Sailors next possession, and a free throw from sophomore Christian Drayton made it a seven points Sarasota lead with forty-five seconds left. Key came down and hit another three for Eustis and after a free throw from Sarasota, the Panthers hit another three with eight seconds remaining to draw to within two, 53-51. Eustis was forced to foul and sent Michael Drayton to the line. He hit both with four seconds left. Eustis was unable to get any closer and Sarasota escaped with a hard fought 55-51 win.
Michael Drayton led Sarasota with 23 points. Javyeon Dale led Eustis with 20 points while Key finished with 19 points.
Game #3: Orlando Lake Highland Prep vs. Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic
Both teams came into the contest undefeated, so someone was taking the first “L” of the season. Santa Fe led 7-4 after the first four minutes but it only took Lake Highland Prep a minute to tie the game at 9-9. That was just the start of a first quarter Lake Highland surge, as the Highlanders led 16-13 after the first period. Lake Highland maintained that lead for the first half of the second quarter, leading 23-21. Now it was the Hawks turn to make a run. A 6-0 run to close out the period gave them a 27-23 lead at the break.
Santa Fe looked like it would take control of the game in the third period. Their lead was six at 35-29 at the four minute mark and reached double-figures, 39-29, with 2:30 left in the period. Lake Highland was able to trim that margin to seven, 42-35, going into the final quarter. The Highlanders got to within three, 47-44, with four minutes remaining in the contest, but could never draw closer. Santa Fe would ultimately go on to win by five, 61-56.
Tate Darner, a 6’3 junior, led the Hawks with 21 points. He got help from 6’4 senior Hudson Dykhuizen with 15 points and 5’8 sophomore Toby Lane with 13 points.
For Lake Highland, 6’0 senior Kellan Lewis scored 13 points while 6’1 senior Julian Clarke finished with 11 points.
Game #4: Orlando Edgewater vs. Jacksonville Impact Christian Academy
The Eagles of Edgewater had a 9-6 lead after the first four minutes. At that point, Impact used the power of the three point shot to go on an 8-0 run and led 19-15 going into the second period. Those same shots that fell for Impact in the first quarter didn’t fall in the second and Edgewater took advantage. In less than two minutes, the Eagles regained the lead at 23-22. They would extend that lead to 35-27 before Impact called a timeout with 2:26 left in the period. It didn’t help and when the halftime horn sounded, Edgewater’s lead was ten, 40-30.
A 10-3 run by Edgewater over the first four minutes of the third quarter pretty much sealed Impact’s fate. They never got within single digits of the Eagles and Edgewater won convincingly by the score of 73-52.
Edgewater’s “big three” did most of the damage. 6’2 senior Zion Mitchell led the way with 19 points while 6’4 sophomore Donovan Williams contributed 13 points and 6’7 junior Myles Mayfield added 12 points.
For Impact, 5’10 junior Christopher Jackson tossed in 19 points and 6’2 senior Taylor Thompson added 13 points.
Game #5: Windermere vs. Lakeland Victory Christian
Both teams have talented rosters and players that can be given the ball and get a bucket when needed. This contest was back-and-forth the entire way. The game was tied 6-6 after the first four minutes, then both teams found the turbo charger. Windermere led 19-16 going into the second quarter but when Victory grabbed a 26-24 lead with 4:36 left in the period, Windermere took a timeout. It seemed to work and the Wolverines retook the lead at 33-32 with 1:30 left in the half. That didn’t hold up as when the halftime horn sounded, Victory led by two, 37-35.
The third quarter was no different. Victory led 46-43 at the four minute mark but Windermere grabbed the lead at 50-49 with 2:30 left in the half. The Wolverines would keep that lead, but barely, 54-53 going into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter with 2:40 to go, the score was tied at 68-68. Over the next minute and ten seconds, Victory scored six unanswered points to lead 74-68 and looked in control. Windermere’s 6’4 senior Chalier Torres dropped in a three to cut the deficit in half with 42 seconds remaining. A transition basket from Victory’s 6’4 senior Jordan Lanier made the score 76-71 with 35 seconds left. Windermere went right back to Torres, who drained another three to make it a two point game with 28 seconds to go. After a Victory turnover, Windermere’s 5’7 senior Ta’Veon Jones drove the baseline and tied the game at 76-76 with sixteen second left. Victory Christian was unable to respond and we headed into our second overtime game of the day.
In the overtime, Victory got out to an 85-81 lead with 2:30 left but Windermere was able to tie the score at 85-85 a half-minute later. Lorenzo Cason, a 6’3 senior for Victory, connected on a three with 1:45 remaining to give the Storm a lead they would not give up. Windermere got to within one, 89-88, with 35 seconds left, but Victory was able to hold the Wolverines off from the foul line to win a great game 92-88.
Victory was led by Cason’s 29 points. Lanier finished with 23 points while 6’0 senior Mike Andino added 19 points.
For Windermere, Torres went for 27 points. T.J. Drain, a 6’7 junior, added 21 points and Jones finished with 13 points.
Game #6: Windermere Prep vs. The Villages Charter
This game was a glimpse into the future of Florida high school basketball as both the Lakers of Windermere Prep and the Buffalo of The Villages are loaded with talented underclassmen. The Villages jumped out to an early 12-6 lead but then Windermere Prep went off, outscoring the Villages 14-2 to take a 20-14 lead into the second quarter. The Villages didn’t panic; they responded, opening the period with an 8-0 run over the course of one minute to grab a 22-20 lead and force a Windermere Prep timeout. Magic words must have been spoken as the Lakers went on a 10-0 run to lead 30-22 with four minutes left in the period. Once again, The Villages responded and at the break, it was only a four point game with Windermere Prep on top 35-31.
The Lakers maintained the lead in the third quarter until The Villages got on a bit of a hot streak. The Buffalo grabbed a 47-46 lead with three minutes left in the quarter and led 54-52 going into the final period of play. With five minutes left in the fourth, Windermere Prep retook the lead at 61-60 and The Villages took a timeout. It didn’t work as hoped and the Lakers would grow their lead to eight, 68-60, with under four minutes to play. The Villages got to within three, 70-67, with just over a minute to play, but could not get any closer. Windermere Prep won a tight one, 76-72.
The Lakers were led by 6’5 sophomore Brandon Bass with 30 points. Sinan Huan, a 7’0 sophomore, tallied 13 points while 6’4 junior Jordan Ford added 10 points.
Chris Washington, a 6’8 sophomore, led The Villages with 19 points while 6’0 junior Adyn Corbin added 15 points and 6’0 freshman Aaron Britt contributed 11 points.