{"id":40945,"date":"2019-03-02T10:00:52","date_gmt":"2019-03-02T15:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/?p=40945"},"modified":"2019-03-01T22:47:00","modified_gmt":"2019-03-02T03:47:00","slug":"nease-one-win-away-from-second-state-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/?p=40945","title":{"rendered":"Nease one win away from second state title"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>LAKELAND &#8211; Longtime Nease head coach Sherri Anthony could have scheduled cupcakes on her schedule to help pad her 600 plus wins; but she didn&#8217;t she went out and found competitive teams to push her team and get them ready for the postseason again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It worked as the Lady Panthers are one win away from a possible second state title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After falling in the Elite 8 six times, including the last three years and four out of the last six years; Anthony beefed up the schedule even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/D6737091-199B-4A2E-ACB3-70B5BD002523-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-40097\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/D6737091-199B-4A2E-ACB3-70B5BD002523-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/D6737091-199B-4A2E-ACB3-70B5BD002523-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/D6737091-199B-4A2E-ACB3-70B5BD002523-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Tia Robison, Kiya Turner, and Allison Fifield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Anthony pushed her team hard with games against three Final Four teams playing this weekend including Bartram Trail (24-7), Tampa Bay Tech (28-3) and St. Thomas Aquinas (24-6). Nease also played out of state teams Holy Trinity Prep (26-3) the Class 3A GISA state champs, Loyola, Illinois (24-8) who made it to the Round of 32 and Rogers, Ohio (22-2), who is playing this weekend in the Division II state title game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The schedule also featured games against Elite 8 teams Boca Raton, Bishop Moore and Sandalwood as well as Winter Haven (20-8) which won three straight state titles from 2016-2018 but fell in the Sweet 16 this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike a lot of area team, Anthony took her team to Mayo to compete in the Andy Hart Memorial Classic to play Ocala Vanguard and Boca Raton, to Naples to play in the Naples Shootout and to Palm Coast to compete in the Moromarco Challenge where they knocked off both Winter Waven and Tampa Bay Tech. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was the during the Naples Shootout, the Panthers swept through out of state teams Loyola (Illinois) 60-52 and Rogers (Ohio) 56-44 to advance to the title game where they were stunned by St. Thomas Aquinas 64-62 on a last second buzzer beater handing Nease its only loss of the season.       <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Wow.  For the win <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5IZO2yZx4V\">pic.twitter.com\/5IZO2yZx4V<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Holiday Shootout (@HolidayShootout) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HolidayShootout\/status\/1079172904514977792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 30, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Anthony knew to get to Lakeland her team which had been so close the last three years had to see better competition that they were going to face in Lakeland like three time defending state champs Fort Myers and the dynasty Fort Lauderdale Dilliard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After taking care of three-time defending state champs Fort Myers yesterday in the semifinals, Nease (30-1) will play for its second state title today against state power Fort Lauderdale Dillard (25-5), who is making their tenth appearance in a state title game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Under legendary coach Marcia Pinder (967 wins, 217 losses), the Lady Panthers have won nine state titles (1980, 1982, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015), been to 13 Final Fours and are a perfect 9-0 in state title game appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They are also 3-0 against St. Johns County teams having eliminated Bartram Trail three times in the Final Four in 2006, 2012 and 2013. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, its been three years since their last state title and Dilliard is hungry for that elusive tenth title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing is for sure both have the utmost respect for each other having both been coaching for over 34 years and combining for 1.572 wins and 545 losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nease showed no signs of being intimidated of Fort Myers expect the same with Dillard. Both teams have one common opponent in St. Thomas Aquinas as both lost to the Raiders during the regular season. Although, Dillard was able to get revenge four days later in the BCAA Big 8 title game.       <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet after three straight losses in the Elite 8, this group of seniors Camille Hobby, Peyton Carter, Kiya Turner and Tia Robinson all intend on leaving the RP Funding Center with a state title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/RP-Funding-Center--1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-40950\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/RP-Funding-Center--1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/RP-Funding-Center--300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/RP-Funding-Center--768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/RP-Funding-Center--640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/RP-Funding-Center-.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>TALE OF THE TAPE <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Class 8A state title game<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, 2 p.m. at RP Funding Center in Lakeland  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nease Panthers (30-1) vs Dillard Panthers (25-5) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NEASE <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head coach: Sherri Anthony (605-331), 33 years <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Final Fours: 1999, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State Championships: 1999 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Top Players: senior Camille Hobby (18.2 p.p.g, 10.4 r.p.g.), senior Tia Robinson (10.1 p.p.g., 5.0 r.p.g., 3.0 a.p.g.), senior Kiya Turner (12.5 p.p.g., 4.6 r.p.g., 4.9 a.p.g., 4.3 s.p.g.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting five<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Camille Hobby (Sr., C) NC State signee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tia Robinson (Sr., G) Texas A&amp;M commit <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kiya Turner (Sr., G) Middle Tennessee State signee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peyton Carter (Sr., F) Davidson signee <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stephanie Manherz (So., F) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common opponents <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>St. Thomas Aquinas 64, Nease 62<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DILLARD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head coach: Marcia Pinder (967-217), 42 years  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Final Fours: 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State championships: 1980, 1982, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015       <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Top Players: senior guard Genovea Johnson (10.4 p.p.g., 11.2 r.b.g.), senior center Raven White (11.9 p.p.g., 12.4 r.p.g.), sophomore guard Chynna Mattair (8.4 p.p.g.), Kintaeja Ling (9.4 p.p.g.)            <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting five<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Genovea Johnson (Sr., G\/F) Southern signee <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Raven White (Sr., C\/F) Southern signee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chynna Mattair (So., G)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Briah Christia (Jr., G)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kayla Burrows (Sr., G)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common opponents <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>St. Thomas Aquinas 64, Dillard 48<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dillard 60, St. Thomas Aquinas 58<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>                 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LAKELAND &#8211; Longtime Nease head coach Sherri Anthony could have scheduled cupcakes on her schedule to help pad her 600 plus wins; but she didn&#8217;t she went out and found competitive teams to push her team and get them ready for the postseason again. It worked as the Lady Panthers are one win away from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":624,"featured_media":40772,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[112],"tags":[652],"class_list":["post-40945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-high-school-basketball","tag-topstories"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/5C273EF2-A7F6-46DC-AC49-EA9B1D9B9438.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/624"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40945"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40945\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}