OCP tops CFCA; Oak Ridge, DP into semis
Top-ranked Orlando Christian Prep again staved off an intense effort by thirdranked Central Florida Christian Academy to win 57-44 on Friday night and remain undefeated.
The Warriors (25-0) were down early and led by just two at halftime but outscored the Eagles 30-19 in the second half to win the Class 2A Region 3 boys basketball championship.
OCP, No. 1 across all seven FHSAA classifications in the MaxPreps computerized power rankings, will play the second-ranked team in 2A, Boca Raton Grandview Prep (17-2), on Wednesday at noon at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
The Warriors had four double-figure scorers in AJ Brown (16 points), Omar Figueroa (12), Josh Blazquez (11) and Jayden Hastings (10). And 6-foot-7 junior Ven Allen-Lubin had 14 rebounds to go along with eight points.
But it was OCP’s ability to get stops at the other end that made the difference in a heated game where intensity and emotion was through the roof.
“We just stayed poised,” Lubin said. “We stayed disciplined and we stayed focused.”
CFCA went scoreless in its first five possessions of the third quarter and missed six of its first seven shot attempts in the second period.
“Today was just defense. That’s who we are,” OCP coach Treig Burke. “We dug in. We held them to 44 points. That’s it.”
The victory extended a 45-game OCP winning streak that is the longest in Orlando-area boys basketball history. The Warriors won their final 20 games in a 29-2 champion campaign last season.
CFCA (26-4), ranked third in 2A, more than matched Orlando Christian Prep’s imposing size with a starting lineup that had 6-8 junior Clarens Pierre starting alongside 7-footer Imanuel Zorgvol. The Eagles took an early 8-4 lead on the first of Jamar Houston’s four made 3-point shots.
OCP missed 10 shots in the opening quarter — three of those blocked by Zorgvol — and turned the ball over three times. Still, the Warriors led 12-10 after scoring the last six points of the period. Brown beat the buzzer with a 3-point shot to close the quarter.
OCP expanded that margin to 18-13 when Hastings scored inside off one of seven assists by Blazquez.
CFCA countered with five more 3-point makes in the quarter. Bryson James, Antonio Redding, Felipe Oliveira, Nick Rodriguez and Houston made the Treys to close the gap to 27-25 at the half.
Houston led the Eagles with 13 points. Ta’veon Jones, a 5-7 freshman who is a blur with his quickness, scored 10 points.
OCP also ousted the Eagles in the region final a year ago.
CFCA was the 2A state champ two years ago, when OCP was runner-up in the 3A classification.
Oak Ridge vs. DP set: Oak Ridge and Dr. Phillips, the top-ranked teams in the large-school classification, locked down their showdown in an all-Orlando Class 7A state semifinal next week with region final wins in sold-out gyms on Friday night.
No. 1 Oak Ridge (23-2), playing at home, staved off Sarasota Riverview (22-7) to win 82-78 in the Region 2 final.
When everything was on the line in the final quarter, Louisville signee Michael James came up clutch for the Pioneers. He made 10 of 12 free throws and grabbed five of his game-high 15 rebounds in the final eight minutes.
James finished with 32 points.
Tyler Davis grabbed a huge rebound off a missed free throw with 13.8 seconds to go and was fouled. The Pioneers were only up by a point before Davis drained both free throws to give them a little breathing room.
The Pioneers, winners of 20 postseason games in four seasons under head coach Steve Reece, will face the Panthers, winners of 10 straight, at noon next Friday in Lakeland according to the FHSAA state tournament schedule. The championship game will be played the next night at 8.
Oak Ridge, a state champ in 2018 and state semifinalist last season, will be making its third final four appearance in four years.
Oak Ridge, a state champ in 2018 and state semifinalist last season, has won 20 postseason games in four seasons under head coach Steve Reece.
Steve Gorches
DP dominates: Secondranked Dr. Phillips dominated visiting Sanford Seminole, winning 71-49 for the Region 1 title.
The Panthers (22-3), long one of Central Florida’s premier programs, wrapped up their first final four berth since 2011.
Junior guard Denzel Aberdeen scored a gamehigh 22 points and junior big man Ernest Udeh Jr. had 16 points, 15 rebounds and 7 blocks to lead Dr. Phillips.
The Panthers trailed by as many as nine points early but turned the game around in the second quarter.
“We’re not done — the job’s not finished,” DP coach Ben Witherspoon said. “We’re happy to be going to Lakeland — and we expected to be going to Lakeland this year. We have a huge, huge two games coming up.”
Demari Henderson had a team-high 17 points to lead Seminole, which finished the 2020-21 campaign with a 16-8 record.
Leesburg tops Rockledge: Leesburg scored a 62-59 home court win against Rockledge in the 5A Region 2 final to secure its third state tournament trip in a span of five years.
The Yellow Jackets (16-4) will play No. 1 ranked Fort Walton Choctawhatchee (25-2) in a semifinal game at 2 p.m. on Thursday.
Leesburg won state championships in 2017 and 2018.
Lake Highland falls by 2: Poppa Ross laid in an alleyoop pass from Dontrell Jenkins with 8 seconds left to give visiting Alachua Santa 51-49 in the 4A Region 2 final.
The Raiders (19-5) rallied from 10 points down to deny the Highlanders (13-8).
Jared Berry finished with 21 points and 4 assists for Lake Highland. Miles Stewart had 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Ross finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds for Santa Fe.
Admission was limited to two tickets per athlete, which was the Lake Highland protocol throughout the season due to COVID-19.
Lynn Ramsey
Trinity Prep falls: Jacksonville Jackson, a state runner-up in the past two seasons, won 69-47 at Trinity Prep in the 3A Region 1 final.
Sophomore guard Javon Bennett scored 22 points for Trinity Prep (9-9), which had a tumultuous season that included a two-week COVID-19 shutdown, had won seven of its previous eight games.
Jackson (19-6) will play play Bishop McLaughlin Catholic (21-6) of Spring Hill in a 10 a.m. state semifinal on Wednesday in Lakeland. CPCA in semi: Top seed Central Pointe Christian Academy defeated Jacksonville Potter’s House 65-53 on Thursday to advance to this weekend’s Sunshine Independent Athletic Association final four in Gainesville.
The White Tigers (30-5) will play Victory Rock Prep of Bradenton in a 5:15 p.m. semifinal.
The other semi Miami Calusa Prep against host The Rock School, which knocked out West Oaks Academy of Orlando, 87-83, on Thursday.
AJ Neal scored 27 points in the loss for West Oaks (12-8).
Sunday’s SIAA final is set for 5:30.
Rickman passes: Wayne Rickman, the revered basketball coach for whom the Boone High School gymnasium was named, died on Friday morning after an extended illness.
Rickman coached the Braves to 1977 and 1983 state championships and later served on the Orange County school board.
Friday’s finals
Class 7A Region 1
Dr. Phillips 71, Seminole 49 Class 7A Region 2
Oak Ridge 82, Sarasota Riverview 78 Class 5A Region 2
Leesburg 62, Rockledge 59 Class 4A Region 2
Alachua Santa Fe 51, Lake Highland Prep 49 Class 2A Region 3
Orlando Christian Prep 57, Central Florida Christian Academy 44
Class 3A Region 1 final Jacksonville Jackson 69, Trinity Prep 47