Top Performances: Day 1 of the state tournament (1A-3A)
On Monday, six semifinals went down in Lakeland, two apiece in Classes 1A, 2A and 3A. The finals will be played on Tuesday afternoon starting at 2 p.m. with 1A.
Results
1A: Blountstown 57, Chipley 40; Wildwood 65, Impact Christian 63
Tuesday’s final: Blountstown vs. Wildwood (2 p.m.)
2A: Impact Christian 69, North Florida Educational 49; Miami Christian 68, Central Florida Christian 53
Tuesday’s final: Impact Christian vs. Miami Christian (4:30 p.m.)
3A: Orlando Christian Prep 78, Florida A&M 32; Ft. Myers Canterbury 62, Somerset Prep 30
Tuesday’s final: Orlando Christian Prep vs. Canterbury (7 p.m.)
Here are the top performances from Day 1 of the FHSAA state tournament.
Marcus Niblack/Dorian Wilson (Wildwood)
Trailing the entire second half and for much of the game, Wildwood’s best players Marcus Niblack and Dorian Wilson stepped things up when it mattered most. Niblack, a sophomore guard had 11 of his 22 points in the second half which included seven in the fourth quarter. He hit a 3 to tie the game with 1:28 left on an assist from Wilson. Niblack then dished out an assist on Bryan McMullen’s game-winning lay-in with four seconds left. Wilson scored 20 points including 17 in the second half.
KK Godwin (Blountstown)
Headed to Gulf Coast State this upcoming fall to play JUCO ball, senior guard KK Godwin created time and time again for Blountstown. He led all scorers with 25 points in a convincing win over Chipley. The speedy senior had a big 12 point third quarter as the Tigers took a 43-24 advantage into the final eight minutes of play. He’ll have to do everything and more in the final against Wildwood on Tuesday.
Nassir Little (Orlando Christian Prep)
It is Nassir Little’s world and we are simply living in it. The senior North Carolina commit smoothed his way to a 21 point outing. He dunked time and time again including a 360 windmill (VIDEO). Little is a strong attacker who is hard to slow down at the high school level. His jumper has improved which will be a huge boost in college.
Anthony Willis/Jordin Jackson/Mike Cole (Impact Christian)
It was a trio of starters that carried Impact Christian in the victory over North Florida Educational. The Lions forced 31 turnovers of NFEI as senior Anthony Willis led his side with 19 points. Sophomore guard Justin Jackson paced him with 18 points and senior forward Mike Cole had 16 points. This team is scrappy and plays hard from start to finish.
Kelvin Dean (Chipley)
For Chipley, junior guard Kelvin Dean was the best thing going for his side with a team-high 20 points. Dean is a superb athlete who holds a handful of offers for football. He did it all for the Tigers, flying to the rack and hitting jumpers. He’ll be back next year with his group looking to find a way into the state tournament once again.
A’drelin Robinson (Florida A&M)
The Baby Rattlers saw a running clock against them in the second half against Orlando Christian Prep. One strong performer for Florida A&M was freshman guard A’drelin Robinson who scored 16 of his team’s 32 points. The Baby Rattlers finish the season 20-11.
Jeff Hernandez/JJ Flores/Marcelo Perez (Miami Christian)
It wasn’t the typical offensive day for senior guard Neftali Alvarez (8 points), but he hustled on defense and is an elite passer. It was seniors Jeff Hernandez, JJ Flores and Marcelo Perez who picked up the slack. Hernandez was efficient with his mid-range jumper finishing with 17 points while Flores had 15 points and Perez scored 12 points. Flores was essential as Miami Christian put the game on ice.
Berrick Jeanlouis (Canterbury)
It was a heck of a night for senior South Alabama commit Berrick Jeanlouis. He led his Cougars in basically every category including points (17), rebounds (9), assists (4) and blocks (2) in the convicing win over Somerset Prep. Jeanlouis and Canterbury will have to have longer meaningful possessions to have a chance against Orlando Christian Prep in the final.
Kenneth Johnson (North Florida Educational)
Junior captain Kenneth Johnson netted a team-best 17 points for North Florida Educational. Appearing in its second straight state semifinal, the Eagles failed to get to the final. However, the 6’2″ guard did his best for his group.
Travis Jay/Tre Adams (Madison County)
Two upperclassmen, Travis Jay and Tre Adams scored 15 points each for Madison County. The Cowboys had a seven-point advantage with just under five minutes left in the game, but Wildwood rallied back to win. Jay, a junior guard recorded 15 points while senior guard Adams reached the same output.
Michael Antoine (Somerset Prep)
The young Hurricanes didn’t match the intensity that Fort Myers Canterbury brought in the nightcap. However, Michael Antoine flashed his athleticism and pure scoring ability. The sophomore guard is a slasher and has a chance to be really good.
Anterrius Washington/Jordan Preaster (Central Florida Christian)
A pair of junior forwards combined for 21 points for Central Florida Christian. Anterrius Washington finished as the lone Eagle in double figures with 13, four of those points came in the closing minutes with the game out of reach. Jordan Preaster battled through a hard fall in the third quarter to compile eight points and nine rebounds.