U-School dominates Villages to earn chance for a repeat

LAKELAND — Reigning Class 5A state champion University School took the court in Lakeland missing not just one of the best players on its team, but one of the best players in the nation.

Star center Vernon Carey Jr., a Duke commit and McDonald’s AllAmerican, missed the game with a right ankle injury that he suffered in regional play, but the Sharks didn’t miss a beat.

U-School (25-4) dominated The Villages Charter School (22-8) in the Class 5A semifinals, beating the Buffaloes 91-53 at the RP Funding Center on Wednesday.

“We had to open the floor a little bit more [without Carey],” Sharks coach Jim Carr said. “We can’t run as many sets for postups, and defensively, we have to get active a little bit more. … But we’re really deep, and that’s a hard thing with a high school team.”

The Sharks shot the lights out of the arena, knocking down about 68 percent of their shots. They also out-rebounded the Buffalo 40-16.

U-School ran ahead of The Villages in the second half of the first quarter, going on a 13-2 run to end the quarter. It was smooth sailing from there, as the Sharks outplayed the Buffalo and put a running clock on them at the end of the game.

Junior Scottie Barnes, the No. 4 prospect in the 2020 class, according to 247Sports’ composite ranking, took control as one of the Sharks’ top offensive threat. Barnes, a five-star prospect, notched 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

“I just played it like a regular game,” Barnes said. “I knew coming into the game, [Carey] wasn’t playing. So we just all needed to step up.”

Several more players excelled in Carey’s absence. Guard Roger McFarlane racked up a team-best 25 points and brought down nine rebounds, while 6-foot-6 forward Jace Howard had 12 points and four rebounds.

“I think Jace gave us an incredible lift,” Carr said. “This is Jace’s first start — he started the first 13, 14 games of the year, went down with a leg injury — and he stayed the course, he came off the bench, had great practices. We just had open competition since Vernon went down.”

The Sharks neutralized the Buffalo’s top player, McDonald’s All-American and Florida signee Tre Mann, holding him to 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting.

“Tre’s a great player,” Carr said. “He’s the best senior guard in the state. Florida’s getting a really good player. We just wanted to make everything hard for him.”

U-School will face Jacksonville Andrew Jackson in the title game Thursday at 4:30 p.m. as the Sharks look to repeat as state champions.

“Our only goal all season was to be the state champion,” Carr said. “That’s the only goal we’re ever going to have.”

If everything goes well for the Sharks, they could get a major boost — Carr did not rule out Carey playing Thursday.

“I don’t know that his high school career is done,” Carr said. “He’s still a game-day decision. We’ll still work him in rehab today. He’s going to have the coldest ankle in America.”