Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Perez plays hero for Wellington in win
Buzzer-beating shot from 40 feet downs Cypress Bay
WESTON —By his own admission, Wellington’s De’ante Perez is not a 3-point shooter.
However, with a return trip to the state tournament hanging in the balance, the 6-foot junior calmly drained what was likely the longest shot of his career — a 40-footer as the clock struck zero to lead the Wolverines to a 40-37 win over host Cypress Bay on Friday in a Class 9A regional semifinal game.
The thrilling victory sends the Wolverines (24-6) back to Lakeland for the second straight year and the fourth time in school history. Wellington will face Evans in a state semifinal game Friday at 6 p.m. in the RP Funding Center.
But to get there, Wellington had to rally from an early deficit and then persevere over a Lightning team that was equal to the task.
The lead changed hands five times early in the fourth quarter, and it seemed at that point as if the team with the ball last would likely win the game.
That was indeed the case, but not in the manner most of the fans in the gym would have imagined.
Tied at 37-37 with 3 minutes, 1 second to play, neither team was able to score despite both coaches calling a combined five timeouts before the end.
Wellington looked to have the best chance with possession most of the final minute, but the set play to have Jaggar Ruiz drive for a late layup was thwarted as he lost the ball. Cypress Bay (20-7) called timeout with three seconds to play and one last hope of avoiding overtime.
However, when Blake Alexis inbounded the ball to midcourt, the pass went straight to Perez, who was camped near the sideline.
“My assignment was to stay on the sideline, protect the sideline and let nothing get by me,” Perez said. “The kid threw it right to me and I grabbed it [and] just shot it. And it went in.
“All I was thinking about was making that shot and sending my team to Lakeland.”
The miracle 3 was just one of two baskets for Perez on the evening. He finished with five points.
The Wolverines were paced by Linton Brown who finished with 19, nine of which came in the second quarter to help Wellington erase an early six-point deficit and take a two-point lead into the locker room.
No team led by more than five points in the second half.
The Lightning were paced by Isaiah Quinteros, who finished with 18 points.