NORTHSIDE-A long tragic day got even more devastating in the day as Godby saw a seven point halftime lead vanish quickly and fall to host Ribault 56-52 in the Class 6A regional final at Al Austin gym.
Before making the two plus hour drive to Jacksonville to play Ribault in the Region 1-6A championship game, Godby coaches and players were notified sophomore Malcolm Sipling passed away after a car crash earlier in the morning.
Tragic news out of Tallahassee, Godby dealing with death of teammate while playing in Jax tonight at Ribault. https://t.co/c1LhuwIcJ5
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) February 24, 2017
According to sources close to the Godby program, the team voted to continue the trip and dedicate the game to their fallen teammate.
Before the game, Ribault and Godby came together and huddled up paying their respects for their fallen teammate and opponent.
https://twitter.com/BasketballGodby/status/835476849136402433
Early on it was a back and forth game with Ribault establishing an early lead, before Godby stormed back and took a 17-14 lead heading into the second quarter.
With less than five minutes left till half, Ribault tied things up at 27 all, but Godby closed out the first half with a 9-2 run to lead 36-29 at the half.
Half: Godby 36, Ribault 29@AlisonPosey14
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) February 25, 2017
Godby led 36-29 at the half, but Ribault came out on fire tying the game at 36 all thanks to cold shooting by Godby plus a pressure defense by Ribault, which helped the Trojans get back in the game.
Still 36-36 3:24 left in the third
— Godby Athletics (@GodbyAthletics) February 25, 2017
With a standing room only crowd in the gym, the conditions became unbearable at times as the AC wasn’t turned on causing the gym to condensate on the floor as players began dangerously slipping and sliding in the fourth quarter.
Tough environment, literally, there's no AC in here
— Godby Athletics (@GodbyAthletics) February 25, 2017
With less than five minutes to go, Godby took a three point lead at 47-44 and seemed to take control of the game as well.
However with the home crowd by its side, Ribault wouldn’t go away as the Trojans tied the game at 49-49 with 1:36 left in the game setting up a an exciting finish.
Tied 49-49 all with under a minute remaining, Louis Dorsey calmly walked to the line and sank two free throws with 42 seconds left to give Ribault a lead it would never relinquish.
Twenty five seconds later, point guard William Easton did the same thing and Dorsey connected on two more free throws with 1.7 seconds left to give Ribault a 56-52 win over Godby.
Tied at 49, under a minute left, @LouisDorsey00 hits 4 free throws along with @_basketball_LIF two FTs to send Trojans to Lakeland !!
— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) February 25, 2017
Dorsey, who picked up his fourth foul early in the third and sat the bench for the rest of the quarter, came back in the fourth and dominated the game hitting clutch free throws the closing seconds to send Ribault back to Lakeland again.
Ribault (25-6) will play Leesburg Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Class 6A state semifinals in Lakeland. A win puts them in the championship game Saturday at 12:30 against the Palatka-Mariner winner.
Palatka 53, Nature Coast 46
Large crowd tonight at the Panther Palace. PHS vs. Nature Coast. pic.twitter.com/pEh7sih4DJ
— Mark Blumenthal (@diabolicalmarky) February 24, 2017
PALATKA-In front of a packed home crowd, Palatka got all they could handle from visiting Nature Coast (27-2) before pulling away late in a 53-46 win at the Palace.
Palatka led by four at the end of the first quarter and held a slim three point lead at the half thanks to taking advantage of Nature Coast turnovers.
Halftime: Palatka 22, Nature Coast 19. PHS shooting 10-for-23 from field and turned 5 of NC's 11 turnovers into 10 pts.
— Mark Blumenthal (@diabolicalmarky) February 25, 2017
A back and forth game became a one point game heading into the final quarter as Palatka led 36-35 eight minutes away from going back to Lakeland.
With under a minute remaining left, Palatka held onto a 45-42 lead, before the Panthers closed it out with a 8-4 run to end the game.
Palatka B-Ball Stars (22-8) will take on Cape Coral Mariner (22-7) at 1 p.m. Thursday in Lakeland. Mariner beat Sebring, 53-46, tonight.
— Mark Blumenthal (@diabolicalmarky) February 25, 2017
Palatka (22-8) and Mariner (22-7) at 1 p.m. in the Class 6A state semifinals Thursday in Lakeland. A win over Mariner would put the Panthers in the Class 6A championship game Saturday against the Ribault-Leesburg winner.
Going to Lakeland
Ribault ✅
Providence ✅
Temple ✅
North Fla Educational ✅— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) February 25, 2017
