Last year, North Florida Educational Institute (NFEI) fell to Impact Christian Academy in their District championship. However this year, it was the Eagles who captured the title from the Lions in the Lions Den as NFEI defeated Impact 36-32 to win the Class2A-3 District Championship.
The contest was low scoring, indicative of two teams and head coaches that are extremely familiar with each other. Coach Stacey Poole Jr of NFEI has a tall and long team that he and his staff put in position to contest shots, disrupt slashing guards and rebound effectively.
Against Impact they did just that. 6 foot 9 inch Maduk Deng blocked shots, while 6 foot 10 inch Melian Martinez grabbed rebounds and contested shots. The suffocating defense of NFEI stifled Impact. Senior Malachi Smith prevented penetration by Impact’s guards and caused steals. Smith scored 9-points in the game.
For Impact, they were forced to hustle and play scrappy to stay in the game. In the second half Coach Benjamin Jones turned up the pressure on NFEI with a full court press. Missed shots by NFEI resulted in rebounds and opportunities for Impact.
However, the Lions struggled mightily from the field, unable to consistently knock down shots. Second chance points by Impact including one by senior Kelvin Johnson kept them in the game. Johnson would finish with 7-points on the evening and brought the Lions to within two points 34-32 in the fourth quarter.
Yet NFEI was just too much. Yet players like Javon Prindle, Issac Tevarus, and Tommie Hall proved too much for Impact. Tevarus would be a shut down defender creating turnovers. Prindle would capitalize on those turnovers with steals and fast break dunks.
Hall’s penetration to the basket proved time and time again that experience is key to success on the court. Hall would score 11 points in the game leading his team to victory. “Last year we lost to them in the district championship, so we came back, and had to get the “W” and I just left it all on the court tonight” .
The number one seeded NFEI will now focus their attention toward the playoffs. Impact was seeded number two and its a good possibility that they will see each other again. For now, the Eagles get to enjoy the district championship. One goal for their retooled team in their quest for a state championship.
