Mater Lakes gaining valuable experience as it aims for state

For a young program like the Mater Lakes boys’ basketball team, this time of year is all about gaining valuable experience.

And that has come for the Bears both in victory and defeat this season.

A week after a tough loss against nationally ranked Columbus, Mater Lakes closed out a tough 65-58 win against fellow state title contender Riviera Prep on its home floor on Wednesday night.

The Bears (18-3), who are coming off their best season in school history after reaching the Class 4A regional finals, are the top-ranked team in that class this year and ranked sixth overall in the state, according to the FHSAA’s power rankings.

Mater Lakes, which opened in the fall of

2006, has yet to win a state championship in a team sport. But their boys’ basketball squad appears poised for a breakthrough this season as it gains momentum with every quality victory.

“Experience is huge,” Mater Lakes coach Dylan Estock said. “In these types of games where it’s a back-and-forth game in a packed gym, the experience kicks in.”

Riviera Prep (14-4) is ranked eighth overall in the state and second in Class 3A with its sights set on returning to Lakeland where last season it finished as state runner-up.

The Bears led the Bulldogs by 11 points in the second half before seeing that lead shrink to 60-58 with 1:12 remaining.

But after a Gabriel Fajardo free throw, the Bulldogs missed three solid looks from three-point range. Anthony Knowles picked up the rebound and proceeded to hit two free throws to put the game away.

“We knew the game was never won or lost throughout and it would be a game of runs,” Estock said. “A game like tonight proves a little more to the kids and shows them how to settle down and fight for a win.”

Knowles also did a solid job on the defensive end, especially since he often drew the assignment of defending Riviera Prep guard Dante Allen, who scored just 13 points.

“[Knowles] has made a huge jump from last year and is more of a leader now,” Estock said. “Everybody looks for him at the end of games. When we were struggling to score, he figured out how to get a bucket.”

A balanced roster led by junior Christian Reid, who had 22 points, has led the Bears to such quality wins all season. Knowles totaled 14 points and six assists.

But the sharpshooting of guard Michael Bradley, a Barry University signee, who made five threepointers in the first half and finished with 17 points, proved clutch.

Mater Lakes, which won the Junior Orange Bowl tournament in late December, has been gaining confidence ever since winning three of four games at a prior tournament in Las Vegas.