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Region boys basketball: Seffner Christian 74, Maitland Orangewood Christian 32

 
Published Feb. 17, 2017

SEFFNER — By the time Seffner Christian's Darius Lue fed Derek Webster for a crowd-pleasing, one-handed slam early in the first quarter, the Crusaders had already shown a glimpse of what was in store for Maitland Orangewood Christian. There was no answer for Webster, who finished with a game-leading 19 points, or what the 6-foot-5 senior set up from his teammates. Seffner Christian bullied the Rams en route to a 74-32 Class 4A region semifinal win.

Webster, a Citadel commit, missed a few minutes as he reopened a cut on his left leg, but his team didn't miss a beat with senior Bryson Grasse adding nine second-quarter points, before finishing with 14 total.

"Our defense motivates our offense; we got stops and got back to put the ball in the hole," Grasse said. "We got ahead quick and we took them out of it tonight."

When Webster returned late in the second for Seffner Christian (23-6), it was more of the same as he first pulled off a three-point play, hitting a jumper and swishing a free throw, and followed a few seconds later with a steal and two-handed stuff to yet another loud pop.

"I can't come back out dead and I wanted to keep up the tempo we had going," Webster said. "As soon as I came back in, I knew I had to punch them hard."

The play inside, which saw both Webster and Grasse finish with seven rebounds apiece, set up the shooting for the rest of the team.

"The thing about having a big inside man, is you work inside-out," Grasse said. "We just take care of business and we have (Webster) to do all that dirty work for us."

Christian Noskey added 14 points, including four 3-pointers, while Reid Walker (six points) and Khalil Waleed (five points) were both key supporters. Early in the third, a steal and layup from Lue sent things to a running clock as the Crusaders stretched the lead to 35.

"We have so many scorers on this team," Webster said. "That's what has made us so lethal, if someone is not hot one game, someone else will step up and be the guy to rely on."

For fifth-year coach Sam Moorer, the win was more complete than the Crusaders' three district tournament games, something he said he was happy to see as Seffner Christian heads into just its second-ever region final (last in 2008).

"We haven't had but really two games where I felt everybody clicked," Moorer said. "We didn't play our best in the district tournament, so I've been waiting on a game like this to happen."

"I'm excited that it's happening now."

Seffner Christian will host Orlando First Academy, which defeated Admiral Farragut in its semifinal, on Tuesday.