Eyeing another title banner, Miami Country Day girls cruise into final
LAKELAND
Miami Country Day players see them every day when they walk into their gym.
They see the banners and their names on pictures commemorating the eight championships the school has won over the past decade.
And it’s why for the Spartans, the engine never stops running.
“For us, it’s about being part of a legacy,” said Kayla Nelms, Miami Country Day’s starting forward and Baylor signee.
After half a quarter of trading buckets with Jacksonville Providence on Wednesday night, Miami Country Day just needed back to back three-pointers from Nelms and freshman Jalynn Belton to kick-start a 60-38 blowout victory in a Class 3A state semifinal at RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
The Spartans (21-8) next face Sarasota Cardinal Mooney on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the 3A final with a chance to bring home their ninth state title in 11 seasons.
“When you walk in the gym, and you see your name in one of those banners, it’s nice,” said guard Kaliyah Morales, who led Miami Country Day with 17 points and three assists. “I remember last year after we won. I couldn’t wait for them to put the new one up just to look at it.”
Morales is the latest in the line of several Spartans who have developed by playing several years at Miami Country Day with the fruits of that labor resulting in multiple state championships.
On Wednesday, the Spartans were led by such players and showed off their depth with players such as Morales and
Nelms, both seniors, and Belton and Kori Edge, both freshmen, leading the way.
All four players scored in double figures, with Belton and Nelms leading the way on the boards with nine rebounds each.
Nelms totaled 14 points and five blocked shots while Belton also had 12 points and three assists. Edge played a huge role on the defensive end with a game-high five steals to go along with her 10 points on 5 of 9 shooting.
Class 4A state semifinal - Jacksonville Bishop Kenny 46, SLAM 43: The Titans (23-4) were playing a state final four game in Lakeland for the first time since 2017.
While SLAM had a lot to be grateful for, the tears in Jim’miyah Branton and her teammates’ eyes told the story of a team that was left wanting more.
“I feel like we had pregame jitters,” Branton said. “Everyone was so excited that we didn’t come in and play how we regularly play.”
Despite battling back from an early deficit, the Titans were unable to make the plays needed down the stretch to hold off Jacksonville Bishop Kenny at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
The Titans struggled in the first quarter, falling behind 9-2. But Branson and Montalvo helped
SLAM battle back and tie the game by halftime.
But inconsistency and an inability to slow down Bishop Kenny in the paint (26 points), ultimately doomed them.
Branton put SLAM ahead 43-42 with three minutes left, but the Titans would not score again. Branton was called for traveling with 1:21 left and Bishop Kenny took the lead moments later.