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District boys basketball: Mitchell 44, Land O'Lakes 42

 
Published Feb. 11, 2017

NEW PORT RICHEY — Alec Sherman just wanted to get something to fall.

In a game that had seen both sides fail to build a stable lead, and on a team that had struggled to finish some games in crunch time, the 6-foot-5 Mitchell forward knew one more shot would be the deciding factor late in Friday's Class 7A, District 8 final.

"Just had to find a way to win the game," Sherman said.

With the host Mustangs trailing by one and time running down fast, the junior did. Sherman first gave the Mustangs the lead with a pair of free throws, then stole a ball underneath the Gators' basket before hastily dribbling all the way back up the floor for a layup.

The three-point advantage was all Mitchell needed, holding the Gators to just one basket in the waning seconds and surviving a long, last-ditch shot attempt as the buzzer sounded for a dramatic 44-42 victory and the title.

"We've been so motivated about this game," said Mustangs coach Jared St. Charles, whose team was defeated by Land O'Lakes for the title last season.

"You can see I'm tearing up. We've wanted this so bad this year. … We had to win this game, and they found a way to get it done."

It wasn't easy.

Mitchell (20-7) opened with a quick 5-0 lead, but was instantly met with a 7-0 surge by the Gators (15-7). Then, another 7-0 run to pull ahead 18-9 in the second quarter, for its largest advantage of the night, was countered with a 10-2 run by Land O'Lakes.

Back and forth they went. Mitchell led by one at halftime and three going into the fourth.

"That's pretty much all these games are with us and them," St. Charles said. "We both have our own style, but it always ends up being about a 40-40 game."

Held scoreless for nearly four minutes to open the final quarter, Mitchell gave away its lead with 5:01 left. But Justin Marquez broke the scoreless drought with a pair of free throws and Sherman's four quick points put the Mustangs back on top.

From there, it was about survival.

Trivone Hill cut it to one for Land O'Lakes but missed a 3-point attempt with 23 seconds left. And with 2.9 ticks remaining, after a pair of errant Mitchell free throws gave the Gators one last opportunity to set up the win, a desperate half-court heave failed to fall.

The Mustangs stormed the court in celebration with their championship trophy as tears of joy and disbelief filled St. Charles' eyes.

"We've been thinking all year of this game," said Sherman, who had a team-best 16 points.

"Last year, we lost in a really tough way. … If that (buzzer-beater) went in, oh man, that would have been real tough. But it didn't, and we ended up winning."

From tough loss to toughing it out, the Mustangs earned their payback.