Orlando Christian Prep wins it all
The Orlando Christian Prep Warriors showed why they were ranked No. 1 in Class 3A boys basketball and are considered a dynasty. They beat Deltona Trinity Christian 78-48 for the state title Thursday thanks to a dominant inside game. It was OCP’s sixth state title in 10 years, but the first for coach Treig Burke.
LAKELAND — Orlando Christian Prep held the No. 1 ranking in Class 3A boys basketball all season and never let it go.
On Thursday night the Warriors (27-4) made sure there was no doubt about who was best in their bracket, steamrolling Deltona Trinity Christian (22-9) in the second half to run away with a 78-48 victory in the FHSAA championship game at The Lakeland Center.
The Warriors stifled Trinity scoring star Amorie Archibald and capped a banner season with the program’s sixth title in 10 years.
The victory under firsttime head coach Treig Burke restored the dynasty label for OCP, which fell short of championships the past two years. OCP is 6-1 in state finals since 2008.
“It’s special. It’s always special,” said Burke, who was an assistant for the school’s previous title teams. “You get butterflies every time when you get here. You just want to go out and play well. I’m proud and happy for these kids.”
Archibald, a Louisiana Tech signee who scored a 2017 tournament-high 43 points in a Tuesday semifinal win, was held to a quiet 14. He was closely defended by OCP guards Ronaldo “Rondo” Segu and Jordan Goodson and made only five of 22 shot attempts.
OCP led just 36-32 at the half, but outscored Trinity 23-2 in the third quarter to blow the game open.
“We just had to wake up,” said DeJuan Lockett, a 6-5 junior who had one of his best performances of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. “It was too close of a game. We had to wake up and put them away.”
Lockett combined with C.J. Walker, a 6-7 sophomore, and Nassir Little, a 6-7 junior, to throw down eight dunks and dominate inside.
Walker had 18 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in a stellar showing.
Little added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Burke said his halftime message was to make more passes per possession and to look inside, where his team was dominant.
“It was just getting layups and knowing where No. 2 (Archibald) was at all times,” Burke said. “He’s a great player. It was going to take all five guys knowing where No. 2 was.”