The Sun Bash series made its final stop in Orlando this past weekend at the Central Florida Christian Academy. The inaugural event featured teams from Central Florida as well as across the state. The talent was plentiful and the quality of play very high.
Lakeland Sante Fe Catholic vs. Melbourne Holy Trinity
The first quarter of this contest was very much a back-and-forth affair. Midway thru the period, the score was tied at 7-7. Disaster struck for the Tigers of Holy Trinity late in the first quarter, however. Martay Barnes, a 6’2 freshman and Holy Trinity’s top player not only picked up his second foul, but a technical (and third) foul for voicing his displeasure. With Barnes on the bench, Holy Trinity was able to keep pace and was down just one, 16-15 going into the second quarter. That period would prove disastrous for the Tigers. Santa Fe went on a 7-0 run and led 22-14 midway thru the period. The score was 24-14 when Holy Trinity finally called a timeout with three minutes remaining. Long story short, Holy Trinity didn’t score until a three to beat the halftime buzzer made the score 31-14 in favor of the Hawks of Santa Fe Catholic.
Barnes got back in the game for Holy Trinity and his presence helped, but Santa Fe continued to roll and outscored the Tigers 10-5 the first half of the third period. Barnes fouled out with two minutes left in the period, having scored seven of the team’s thirteen points to that point. With one quarter remaining, Santa Fe had a comfortable lead, 56-28. The final period was perfunctory and Santa Fe cruised to a 76-47 win.
The Hawks were led by 6’3 junior Tate Darner with 18 points, followed by 17 points from 6’4 senior Hudson Dykuhizen and 10 points from 6’6 senior Danilo Stankevic.
For Holy Trinity, 5’10 senior Elijah Reynolds led all scorers with 20 points and 5’9 freshman Derrick Flowers added 11 points.
Lakeland Victory Christian vs. Riverview Bell Creek
Much like the first game, this one started out with each team pretty much matching the other in the scoring column. After the first four minutes. Bell Creek led 10-8. The Panthers of Bell Creek then put together a 7-2 run. A late bucket by Victory made it a five-point game, 20-15, heading into the second quarter. Victory didn’t take long to tie the game at 22-22 with 5:22 left in the period. That roll continued and just before the half, Victory’s 6’0 senior Mike Andino was fouled on a three-point shot attempt. He made the shot and the free throw to give the Storm a 42-33 half-time lead.
The Panthers methodically clawed their way back into the contest. They cut the deficit to six, 49-43, midway thru the third, and got it down to 53-50 heading into the fourth quarter. Things got very interesting when Bell Creek tied the score at 56-56 with 4:25 remaining. Fast forward a bit and Tahir Bibbs, a 6’6 senior, drops in a three to get Bell Creek to within one, 60-59, with 1:10 left to play. Lorenzo Cason, a 6’2 senior and FAU signee, scored on a drive for Victory Christian to lead by three with forty seconds remaining. Bell Creek’s 6’5 sophomore Jermal Jones was fouled on a drive with thirty seconds left but only made one of two. Victory scored quickly to make it a two-possession game and when Bell Creek couldn’t knock down a three, they had to foul. Victory hit one of two free throws and won a tight one 65-60.
Cason led the Storm with 20 points while Andino added 17 points.
Five players reached double figures for Bell Creek. Bibbs and 6’7 junior Caleb Sanders each scored fourteen points, Jones added eleven points as did 6’3 eighth grader Jah’mir Wallace. Lyrique Sartin, a 6’0 junior contributed ten points.
Rockledge vs. Oviedo The Master’s Academy
Both teams found their offensive rhythm early in this one. Rockledge led 9-8 after the first four minutes but The Master’s Academy led by a point, 19-18, going into the second quarter. The team’s continued to trade punches in that period but it was Rockledge that was able to create some separation using a match-up zone defense to thwart The Master’s offense. At the break, Rockledge led by five, 35-30.
Rockledge maintained its lead throughout the third quarter. However, The Master’s didn’t allow that lead to grow. Ryan Blount, a 6’6 senior and Tampa signee, hit a three to beat the buzzer at the end of the period and so heading into the fourth quarter Rockledge led by six, 47-41. The Master’s once again found some offensive rhythm in the final period, making it a three-point game, 51-48 by the four-minute mark and tying the game at 54-54 with 1:45 to play. The Master’s broke that tie but a pair of Blount free throws tied the game at 56-56 with 1:19 to play. DeVaugh Stallworth, a 6’5 senior, got the lead back for The Master’s after scoring on a drive. Rockledge answered with a three to go up one, 59-58, with forty seconds left. Scott Verboncoure, a 6’6 senior, was fouled on a drive for The Master’s with twenty seconds left. He made the first but missed the second, tying the game at 59-59. After a strategic timeout for each team, Rockledge finally got to put the ball inbounds. The Master’s snuffed out what had been drawn up. Blount found himself with the ball with time running out, drove the lane, and lofted a highly contested pull-up jumper. It dropped through the net just before the horn. Rockledge was able to grind out a close one, 61-59.
Blount led Rockledge with 28 points. Terrance Shannon, a 6’0 junior, added 12 points.
For The Master’s, 6’3 senior Dylan Labuhn hit a Sun Bash record nine threes to finish with 27 points. Stallworth added 13 points and Verboncoure tallied 12 points.
Daytona Beach Mainland vs. Bradenton IMG Blue
The Ascenders of IMG came in short handed as their twin 6’9 post players were out of commission. Still, they played neck and neck with the Buccaneers of Mainland for the first four minutes as the scoreboard read 7-5 in favor of Mainland. A 14-5 Buccaneers run closed out the first period to give them a 21-10 advantage. Things got no better for IMG in the second quarter. They struggled at both ends of the floor and Mainland increased its lead to fifteen, 41-26, by the time the break rolled around.
IMG was able to play evenly with Mainland in the third period. However, that meant they were still down double-digits, 56-42, going into the fourth quarter. Mainland took their foot off the gas and IMG took advantage. The Ascenders were within ten, 68-58 with four minutes left. If the game had of been played with a shot clock, they might have made it all the way back. However, Mainland was able to hold them off and win by the score of 83-72.
Kade Manley, a 6’0 freshman, led the Buccaneers with 27 points, hitting seven threes in the process. Nathan Kirk, a 6’0 sophomore, added 22 points while 7’0 center DeAndre Newland added 15 points.
IMG was led by 5’11 senior Jorge Cardenas with 17 points and 6’6 senior Giulio Volante with 13 points.
SLAM Tampa vs. Newark (NJ) Arts
SLAM came into the contest missing three starters. That left 6’5 senior and Kennesaw State signee Ramone Seals to be the prime generator of offense. He did his work well and Arts helped keep the game close by not taking advantage of individual matchups. The game was tied at 12-12 after one quarter. SLAM led 27-24 at the break but Arts was up one, 38-37, going into the final period. SLAM had a 45-44 lead midway thru the fourth but ran out of gas. Arts won by a score of 55-50.
Seals did his part carrying the team, scoring thirty of the team’s total fifty.
Winter Haven vs. Tallahassee Florida High
Winter Haven is ranked #2 overall in the state by the FHSAA rankings and proved it in the first quarter. Isaac Celiscar, a 6’6 senior and Yale signee, dunked on the opening tap and Winter Haven busted out to a 20-13 first half lead. Florida High has played a tough schedule all season and wasn’t panicked. They found a rhythm on the offensive end and by the break were within three, 36-33.
A 14-3 Winter Haven blitz in the first two minutes of the third quarter forced a Florida High timeout. Now down, 50-36, the mountain to climb became much higher. They were able to close the gap to thirteen, 65-52 entering the final period, but another Blue Devil run, 14-2 over the first three minutes, ended any hope of a Florida High comeback. Winter Haven would go on to win easily, 85-67.
Winter Haven’s “Big Three” of Celiscar, 6’4 senior and Stetson signee Jamie Phillips and 6’7 junior Zay Mosley scored 19, 15, and 16 points respectively. Tyrese Mayo, a 5’10 senior, dropped in ten points.
T.J. Baker, a 6’2 senior, led Florida High with 18 points. 6’0 junior guard Amare Robinson added 15 points and 6’3 senior Ray Daley finished with 11 points.