Norland boys still feel right at home in Lakeland, advance to 5A final
LAKELAND
It’s like they never left. It had been nine years since a Miami Norland boys’ basketball team played at the state final four.
But like an old shirt that still fits, the Vikings still feel so comfortable in Lakeland.
In the same arena in which it won six state championships between 2006 and 2015, including four in a row over the last four years of that span, Norland on Wednesday delivered a performance that echoed memories of that time.
Led by senior guard Triston Wilson’s 23 points and seven rebounds, the Vikings dominated Cape Coral Mariner 53-37 in a
Class 5A state semifinal at the RP Funding Center.
Norland (20-10) led wire to wire and improved to 13-0 all-time under longtime coach Lawton Williams at the state tournament.
Norland will chase championship No. 7 at 8 p.m. Friday when it faces Tampa Blake or Daytona Beach Mainland in the 5A final.
“I usually come up here to watch every year, but I always tell the kids, ‘I hope you’ll make the trip with me,’” Williams said.
Under Williams’ guidance, Norland has won the second-most state titles of any school in Miami-Dade County history behind only Miami High’s 19 titles.
But the past three seasons had seen frustrating finishes for the Vikings, who lost each time in the regional final to the eventual state champion.
This season, Norland finally cleared that obstacle with a senior-laden squad led by Wilson, a Presbyterian College signee, and guard Marcus Allen, a Missouri signee.
“Being on that court was really special, especially for me since I was a part of all three of those losses,” Wilson said.
Wilson seized the opportunity he had been waiting for his whole high school career, helping the Vikings lead by as many as 14 points in the first half.
Wilson shot 7 of 13 overall from the field, including 2 of 5 from 3-point range, and went 7 of 8 from the free throw line.
Allen was held to only two points through the first three quarters, but ignited in the final period to finish with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
The game took a different style than each team is used to this season, with both having entered the tournament averaging over 60 points per game.
But Williams’ teams have always emphasized defense and rebounding, and this year’s Vikings are no different.
Norland crushed the
Mariner (20-10) on the glass, 38-16, thanks largely to senior Jamal Ware, who finished with 13 rebounds.
“Defense wins and I thought we really locked in on the defensive side,” Allen said. “Grabbing rebounds makes sure we have easy shots.”
The Vikings’ defense limited Mariner’s longdistance shooting throughout the contest.
The Tritons shot 15 of 42 from the field, but went 4 for 16 from 3-point range.
“We knew they love to spread out and shoot threes so we tried to make them finish at the rim, and contest those threes,” Williams said. “Defense travels. You may not make shots all the time but defense always travels.”