Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda is the site for the annual Wally Keller Classic. Now in its 19th year, the event brings together many of the best teams from across the state as well as some of the better programs in Southwest Florida for a great day of competition. There are two gyms separated by a short walkway so there is always quality basketball to catch.
Fort Myers Gateway Charter vs. Lake Alfred Discovery
This game tipped off at 10:20am but we believed it to be one of the better matchups of the day. Charter got up early thanks to a stingy 1-3-1 defense and with three minutes left in the opening period as up 13-6 when Discovery called a timeout. Magic words must have been spoken because when the horn sounded to end the quarter, Discovery was down just three, 16-13. Discovery couldn’t maintain that momentum in the second quarter as Charter started out with an 11-5 run to lead by nine, 27-18 less than four minutes in. Discovery made a bit of a run at the end to reduce the margin to six, 35-29, at the break.
Discovery made the right adjustments and midway thru the third were within a bucket, 43-41. The Spartans grabbed their first lead of the game at 46-45 with just over two minutes to play in the period. The lead didn’t last long and it changed hands several times until the end of the third which found the game tied at 51-51. The game continued to be a see-saw affair in the fourth quarter. Moving deeper into the final period, Discovery looked to have things in hand after hitting a three with 1:30 to play to go up three, 66-63. Charter scored quickly to close the gap to within one, then forced a Discovery turnover. Gateway drew a foul after getting the ball inside, making both free throws to grab a one-point lead. Discovery pushed the ball up the floor and thought they had a good shot with twenty seconds left but Charter blocked it. This resulted in a transition basket for Charter with only four seconds left and Discovery could not respond. Charter wins a nail-biter, 69-66.
Patrick Johnson, a 6’8 senior for Gateway Charter, as named his team’s Player of the Game with 14 points.
Darius Livingston, a 6’1 senior and Robert Morris signee, was named Discovery’s Player of the Game with 21 points.
Tampa Berkeley Prep vs. Miami Senior
Berkeley Prep is a young but talented team that starts three sophomores while “The High” is senior-laden and experienced. That didn’t keep Berkeley Prep from jumping out to a 12-8 lead four minutes into the contest. The Stingarees adjusted and went on an 8-0 run to take a 16-12 lead with 1:40 left in the quarter, forcing a BP timeout. The stoppage in play worked as Berkeley finished the first with a 5-0 run to 17-16 going into the second quarter. The second period was a back-and-forth affair the entire eight minutes. With 3:30 left the score was tied 24-24. Miami High was able to seize control at that point and take a 33-30 lead into the break.
The third quarter was very similar to the second. Neither team could sustain any lead that they had. Miami High was up just two at 38-36 with 3:30 left in the period. The Stingarees were able to grow that lead to 42-39 heading into the final period. A 4-0 run by Miami High over the first two minutes of the fourth gave them some breathing room at 46-39, prompting Berkeley to call a timeout. This time, the Stingarees were able to keep Berkeley from making any type of run. Miami High eventually grew its lead into double-digits and won by twelve, 57-45.
Romari Robinson, a 6’5 senior, was named Miami High’s Player of the Game with 16 points.
For Berkeley Prep, 6’0 sophomore Gabe Grimsley as named Player of the Game with 19 points.
Bartow vs. Milton (second half)
We made our way to the secondary gym to catch the second half of Bartow vs. Milton, which is near Pensacola. The game was just coming out of halftime which had Bartow up 33-25.
We must have been bad luck for Milton because Bartow took control in the third quarter. An 8-4 run extended Bartow’s lead into double-digits, 41-29, midway thru the period. It only got worse from there as the Yellow Jackets grew their lead to fifteen, 51-36, heading into the final quarter.
The only people in the gym that didn’t think the game was over were the players and coaching staff of Milton. They unleashed an extended pressure defense that got results. In the span of three minutes, a 61-50 Bartow lead with four minutes shrunk to 65-62 with one minute remaining. Milton got to within one on their next possession but Bartow was able to get a transition basket to go back up 67-64 with just over thirty seconds left. Milton misfired on an attempt to tie and was forced to foul. Bartow made one of two free throws and held off a furious Panthers rally to win 68-64.
JaKylen Crossley, a 6’4 junior, was named Bartow’s Player of the Game with 12 points.
Milton’s Treymar Jones, a 6’3 senior, scored 17 points and as named the team’s Player of the Game
North Port vs. Naples First Baptist Academy
We stayed in the secondary gym for the game between North Port and First Baptist Academy out of Naples. FBA controlled this game in the first half. The Lions were up 17-8 after the first quarter and 36-17 at the half.
North Port continued to climb uphill in the third period but still found itself down 41-24. In the fourth, North Port’s efforts began to pay off. A 14-6 run over the first six minutes got the deficit below double-digits, 47-38. A North Port three got them even closer with a minute to go but time was not on their side. FBA outscored North Port 8-2 from the foul line to win by the score of 55-43.
Jayden Petit, a 6’5 junior, was named FBA’s Player of the Game with 13 points.
For North Port, 6’5 senior Bonaamussa Fullen was named Player of the Game.
Fort Myers Bishop Verot vs. Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic
A pair of parochial powers matched up in this contest in the secondary gym. Santa Fe jumped on top quickly, leading 8-4 after the first four minutes and extended its lead to 19-7 heading into the second quarter. Bishop Verot was unable to find any offensive rhythm and Santa Fe continued to grow its lead in the second quarter. Santa Fe led by eighteen, 29-11, with just over five minutes until the half. Bishop Verot as able to shave the margin down to 37-24, at the break.
Verot’s uphill climb continued in the third quarter. It seemed every time Verot would score a bucket, Santa Fe had an answer, often from behind the three-point line. Verot was down sixteen, 53-37, heading into the final quarter. They were never able to get the deficit below double-digits and Santa Fe Catholic was able to roll to a 65-50 victory.
Tate Darner, a 6’4 senior and UT-Chattanooga signee, had 26 points and was named Santa Fe Catholic’s Player of the Game.
Austin Leslie, a 6’7 senior, scored 20 points for Bishop Verot and earned Player of the Game status.
Naples Barron Collier vs. Sarasota High
We remained in the secondary gym for this one. Both teams came in sporting solid records. It was a bit of a slow start for both teams as Sarasota led just 7-5 after the first four minutes. From there, things got going and at the end of the first eight minutes Barron Collier was on top 16-14. Collier maintained its lead through the first four minutes of the second quarter, up 24-21. The Sailors of Sarasota got on a roll at that point, outscoring Collier 12-5 for the rest of the period to lead 33-29 at the break.
Sarasota stayed in control throughout the third quarter. They were able to run Collier off the three-point line and extended their lead to seven, 46-39, going into the final period of play. With four minutes to go in the fourth, Collier was within five at 54-49 and it was still anybody’s game. However, Sarasota never relinquished control of the lead and won by ten, 67-57.
Sarasota’s Oliver Boyle, a 6’3 senior, scored 23 points and was named the Sailors’ Player of the Game.
Fo Barron Collier, Michael Crawford, a 6’4 senior, finished with 14 points to earn his team’s Player of the Game award.
Punta Gorda Charlotte vs. Port Charlotte (second half)
We came out of the secondary gym into the main gym hosting the Charlotte/Port Charlotte rivalry and found a packed house without a seat to be found. We were able to convince a photographer to let us sit in her seat at press row while she was up filming the game.
We came in at the half with Port Charlotte up by three, 28-25. At the five-minute mark of the third quarter, Charlotte tied things up at 31-31. The Tarpons took control of the quarter the rest of the way and led 42-37 with one period remaining to play.
With 4:15 left in the game, Charlotte found itself up 48-43. After a couple of scoreless possessions for each team, Charlotte decided to bleed some clock. It almost turned into disaster. With a minute left, Port Charlotte got a steal and three-point play to get to within 48-46. Charlotte turned the ball over again but Port Charlotte wasn’t able to capitalize. Now forced to foul, Port Charlotte sent Charlotte to the foul line with eighteen seconds left. The Tarpons missed both, keeping the score at 48-46. Port Charlotte turned the ball over on its next possession. Charlotte missed the first but made the second free throw to lead 49-46 with fourteen seconds left. Port Charlotte pushed the ball up the floor, was met with resistance, but scored to cut the margin to one, 49-48, with just over three seconds to play. There was still life for Port Charlotte. However, after a timeout, Charlotte was able to complete a length of the court pass ahead of the Port Charlotte defense. Instead of scoring, Charlotte chose to dribble out the clock for a one-point victory.
Khyre’ Ellis, a 6’1 senior, scored 14 points for Charlotte to earn Player of the Game honors.
For Port Charlotte, Quentin Andreade, a 6’4 senior, scored 10 points to be named the Pirates’ Player of the Game.