Osceola takes out Oak Ridge
In a game where precious seconds and only a few inches separated Kissimmee Osceola from Oak Ridge on Friday night, Tevin Florent made the difference by stretching up to grab a missed free throw.
The 6-foot-6 Osceola senior reached above two Oak Ridge defenders for the rebound, drew a foul and hit one of two free throws with 8.4 seconds to go to give his team the goahead point in a 63-60 victory that decided the Class 9A, Region 2 championship and a state-tourney berth.
“We’ve been in this situation before,” Florent said. “We knew what to do.”
Osceola, 28-2 and winners of 19 consecutive games, will play Wellington (27-3) in a state semifinal next Friday in Lakeland.
Oak Ridge (24-5) never led but never folded. It rallied from 12 points down to tie the count at 58-58 and 60-60 in a showdown witnessed by a raucous near-capacity crowd in Kissimmee.
“I’m extremely proud of how our guys battled back,” said first-year Pioneers coach O’Neil Lubin. “It was a matter of who had the ball last.”
Oak Ridge actually had it last but failed to get a shot off. Osceola forced a Pioneers turnover on a play with three seconds to go, and Kowboys senior Brady Fernandes made two free throws to make it a 3-point game.
Oak Ridge inbounded again, but its pass to halfcourt was broken up and its championship dreams vanished as the ball bounced away.
“Fortunately Tevin and Brady, our seniors, stepped up and made big plays at the end,” said Osceola coach Nate Alexander.
The Kowboys opened a 43-33 halftime lead with a flurry of big plays off the fast break. The Kowboys had their home crowd roaring when senior Tevin Florent blocked a Mike Devoe shot attempt at the rim and Josh Marte sped the other way and delivered an alley-oop pass to 6-9 sophomore Omar Payne, who flushed a dunk.
Devoe led all scorers with 21 points and helped Oak Ridge turn the game around with a 13-1 run to end the third period.
Wekiva (25-5) used a blistering transition game, outstanding perimeter shooting and solid defense to win 78-63 over visiting Oviedo (21-8) in the 9A, Region 1 championship game. The Mustangs earned their first final-four berth and will play state 9A No. 1 South Miami (27-3) in a semifinal next Friday.
Wekiva was led by 6-foot-9 senior forward Paul Reed’s double-double (25 points and 16 rebounds). Keon Morris added 21 points.
The loss could be the final chapter in the illustrious career of Oviedo coach Ed Kershner, Florida’s all-time boys basketball wins leader.
Kershner, whose record is 901-383 in 45 seasons as a head coach since 1971, said earlier Friday that he will take time before he makes a decision.
Edgewater (22-8) continued its comeback from a midseason slump with a 61-57 win at Tampa Hillsborough (24-4) in 7A.
“Ten in a row,” Eagles coach Jason Atherton yelled, spelling out his team’s win streak as he was mobbed by traveling students and fans after the road win. “Ten in a row and two to go.”
Edgewater will play Lehigh of Lehigh Acres in a state semifinal on Thursday at The Lakeland Center.
Eagles freshman Michael Eads led all scorers with 24. He was 8-of-9 from the field, with 2-of-3 from behind the arc, and 6-of-7 on free throws. Louisville commit Anfernee Simons had 16 points for Edgewater while 6-foot-7 junior Robert Allen controlled things under the Hillsborough basket, keeping the Terriers from getting anything cheap.
Allen had 9 points, 6 blocks and 10 rebounds.
Leesburg recovered from a late fourth-quarter collapse to win 70-65 in overtime against Hallandale in a 6A region final.
The Yellow Jackets (21-6), winners of 13 games in a row, will play Jacksonville Ribault (25-6) in a state semifinal on Thursday in Lakeland.
Leesburg held a 13-point lead midway through the final quarter, but things began to unravel when Hallandale (21-8) went to a fullcourt press. The Chargers finished the quarter on a 16-3 run to force extra time.
Host Florida Prep of Melbourne overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Central Florida Christian Academy 45-40 in a 2A region final.
DeLazarus Keys scored a gamehigh 17 points, including four 3-point shots, for CFCA (23-6), which saw an 18-game winning streak end.
“It was a good game between two good teams, but they made a few more plays down the stretch than we did,” said second-year CFCA coach Jonathan McClintock.
The Eagles led 23-16 at halftime but Florida Prep (24-5) went on a 17-1 third-quarter run.