Late surge gives Heritage-Delray win

COCONUT CREEK — American Heritage-Delray had won just three games all season.

Tuesday night, however, the Stallions rose up in the fourth quarter en route to defeating host North Broward Prep 56-47 in a 13-4A boys basketball district quarterfinal. The teams had split two regularmatchups.

Heritage-Delray (4-12) will play 22-1 St. Andrew’s in the district semifinals Wednesday at St. Andrew’s, while the loss ends North Broward Prep’s year at 6-17. The district final is Friday.

“I believe during the season we learned how to win games,” Heritage-Delray coach Brandon McThay said. “We started to win at the end, so that’s an improvement for these young guys.”

The contest was tied 35-35 going to the fourth quarter. But the Stallions scored the first seven points of the period and held the momentum the entire final stanza.

“The difference in the fourth quarter was we started to use our individual skills to get to the rim,” McThay said.

Demitri St. Louis led Heritage-Delray with 20 points, while Bryon Vega chipped in 14 points and Aaron Ceravolo had13.

Austin Greenfield led the Eagles in the loss with 16 points.

Heritage-Delray led 28-23 at halftime behind the strength of five 3-pointers. St. Louis led the Stallions with 10 points at the half and Ceravolo chipped in eight.

Greenfield had three 3s in the first half and led NBP with 10 at the intermission. Only three players scored for the Eagles in the first two periods.

Neither team led by more than four points in the first quarter. Heritage-Delray built a 17-15 advantage after one thanks to four 3-pointers, including two from Ceravolo.