It takes two OTs, but Pine Crest downs Santa Fe High boys for state title

LAKELAND — This one is going to hurt for a while.

The kings of comebacks, Santa Fe reached Saturday’s FHSAA Class 4A boys basketball title game having overcome a 10-point deficit at Orlando Lake Highland Prep in the regional final and sank a buzzer-beater to top Callahan West Nassau in Thursday’s state semifinal.

And then, against traditional state powerhouse Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest, the Raiders saw themselves trailing by 16 points with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter, only to battle back to force overtime, where they took an eight-point lead with 1:04 left.

But the final comeback belonged to the Panthers, who captured the program’s fourth state championship with a 90-83 victory in double overtime at RP Funding Center.

SFHS coach Elliot Harris was disconsolate, yet proud, following the contest.

“I’d rather be in the other locker room with the (first-place) trophy,” said Harris, who was hoping to lead his alma mater to the first basketball championship in school history. “But it doesn’t discount anything our kids have accomplished this year. This has been an amazing journey.”

It definitely has, and Harris added that these Raiders will go down as the greatest team Santa Fe has produced. But each player and coach would give anything to redo the final minute of the first overtime.

There, after a dunk by Mason Brown gave SFHS a 73-65 lead with a little more than a minute remaining, the Raiders went 0-for-4 from the foul line (0-for-6 total in the first overtime) and gave up an 8-0 personal run to Amen Thompson (game-high 43 points) to force the second overtime.

Then, after Don’trell Jenkins sank a 3 for his 31st point and an 81-80 lead for SFHS, Pine Crest (21-1) went on a 10-2 run to close the game and start the Panthers’ celebration.

“This feels incredible,” Thompson said.

While Pine Crest got some big shots by others (Ben Brodsky sank a 3 to open the second overtime and Isaiah Ramsey went 3-for-3 from the foul line after being fouled on a deep miss), it was Thompson who lifted the Panthers past the Raiders (20-6).

A 6-foot-6 junior guard who has grown two inches in the last year, Thompson pairs with twin brother Ausar to form Pine Crest’s four-star power pair (both have UF scholarship offers and say they really like the Gators). But Ausar fouled out with 5:01 remaining in regulation having scored 20 points. So, after Santa Fe took the eight-point lead late in the first overtime, the Panthers needed a prayer, and it was answered with an Amen.

His 43 points came on 11-of-19 shooting and 20-of-28 from the foul line. He also grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds and had eight steals.

“He played great and hit some huge shots for us,” Ausar said of his brother.

All of it was needed, as Jenkins, who Thompson referred to as “amazing” after the game, made 10 of his 17 shots (including 8-of-13 on 3s) and 6-foot-9 North Carolina State signee Ernest Ross shook off a slow start to finish with 18 points and game-highs in rebounds (15) and blocked shots (two). Ross’s senior classmate, Cayvian Wakeley, added 15 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with just 12 seconds left in regulation to give SFHS a 64-63 lead.

But, ultimately, it wasn’t quite enough.

“It’s tough,” said Jenkins, who averaged 26.5 ppg in the two games in Lakeland. “We worked really hard to get to this point.

“Even though we didn’t come out with the victory, I’m still happy for our team. We fought our butts off.”