Top Performers: Tampa Bay Tech vs. Plant City
It was a true point guard battle in Wednesday night’s Class 8A-District 9 tilt.
Plant City senior Matt Simpson led his side with 30 points while Tyrick Brascom had a game-best 35 points for Tampa Bay Tech. It was Plant City (17-2, 11-0) who pulled away late to ultimately win 71-63 at home.
The Raiders didn’t hold a lead until midway through the third quarter when Simpson put his unit ahead. Brascom and the Titans fall to 15-6, 9-2 on the season and remain in second in the district.
Here are the top performers from the evening.
Matt Simpson (Plant City)
Simpson battled through a left ankle injury that he suffered in the early going. He had 14 of his 30 points at the break which included an impressive 12-point second quarter. He stepped up his game further in the second half with 16 more points along with eight of the game’s final 11 points. At 6’0″, Simpson is a pure athlete who does all the little things right. He can attack at will with his moves, crash the boards and most importantly he get his teammates involved with smart passing.
Tyrick Brascom (Tampa Bay Tech)
It was all on Brascom’s shoulders as the senior guard put in everything he had in this district meeting. The 5’8″ speedster had 15 points at the break before putting together a 20-point second half to give him 35. His best sequence came late in the third quarter when he hit two 3’s and a mid-range jumper. He was fouled on both and made the two free throws. Brascom’s 10-point swing put Tampa Bay Tech ahead 52-44 until Plant City scored five in a row to end the third.
Triston Evans (Plant City)
Senior forward Triston Evans had some crucial buckets in the fourth quarter when the Raiders needed them most. He had eight points in the final quarter to finish with 15 points. Moments after his free throw make cut the deficit to 60-59, Plant City went on a 12-3 run to put it away. Evans, a 6’4″ forward took the ball to the rack in key moments.
Justyn King (Plant City)
No one was happier than Justyn King with the final horn blew as he held up one finger to make it known that his team was first in the district. The 6’6″ junior forward had 13 points on the night but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. He did more than enough on both ends of the floor to help his group. King is at his best when he’s aggressive.
JaMarcus Robertson/Jovan Dilworth (Tampa Bay Tech)
Robertson and Dilworth were the next best pieces for Tampa Bay Tech alongside Brascom. Robertson, a strong 5’11” guard had 10 points with some really good takes and jumpers. Dilworth had six points and was lucky to return to the game after falling hard on a defensive foul in the second quarter.