Top Performers: Class 8A-Region 3 Semifinal (Riverdale at North Port)
It was all about revenge for Riverdale on Tuesday night in the Class 8A-Region 3 semifinal.
The Raiders outlasted district rival North Port, 56-55 to advance to Friday’s region final where it will host St. Pete.
Led by Jacob Tracey (20 points) and Jadrian Tracey (11 points), Riverdale overcame a first half where it never held a lead. North Port earned 20 points from Ben Via.
The Bobcats led 46-41 early in the fourth quarter, but Riverdale outscored North Port 15-9 the rest of the way to pull out the victory.
Here are the top performers from the back and forth matchup.
Jacob Tracey (Riverdale)
Whenever Riverdale needed points, it seemed as if Jacob Tracey was there to make it happen. The Raiders senior guard was not afraid to take it upon himself to attack and hit some really hard jumpers. He got his teammates involved with his vision on passes and he was vocal for the whole game, adding 20 points.
Ben Via (North Port)
It was a huge first half for senior forward Ben Via as he recorded 12 points. He was held to eight points in the second half to finish with a team-high 20. Via proved to be the best all-around shooter and attacker for North Port.
Jadrian Tracey (Riverdale)
Pacing his older brother Jacob, Jadrian did his best to keep his group full of energy on both ends of the floor. Trailing 49-48, the sophomore forward went to the rack for what proved to be the winning basket. He finished with 11 hard earned points.
Bryan O’Boyle (North Port)
Outside shots were Bryan O’Boyle’s specialty on Tuesday night. On three different occasions, he hit big 3’s, including the second, third and fourth quarter. Nothing was bigger than his 3 with 13.9 seconds left that cut the deficit to 54-53. (VIDEO)
Joseph Ojeda (Riverdale)
Senior sharpshooter Joseph Ojeda hit some clutch shots down the stretch. Finishing with 10 points, he hit a 3 early in the fourth quarter and then connected on both free throw attempts to put his side up 54-49 late. When given time, Ojeda will make you pay from deep.
Brandon Graff/Aaron Dismukes (North Port)
A pair of seniors, Brandon Graff and Aaron Dismukes combined for 15 points for the Bobcats. Graff was the tone setter for the offense with his ballhandling and passing. He finished with seven points. Dismukes, a 6’6″ forward was at his best when he attacked the rim, where he added all eight of his points.
8A-Region 3 Semifinal: Riverdale gets revenge over North Port with a 56-55 win Tuesday night to move into Friday’s region final.@RiverdaleReads @NPHSBobcatHoops @JadrianTracey @jacobtracey13 @NDN_PrepZone
Highlights
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