CORAL SPRINGS – It took some time for Dwyer to warm up in last night’s (Feb. 26) Class 7A-Region 3 title game against Coral Springs.
But after getting through the first quarter with a 10-5 lead, the Panthers got going on both sides of the ball to stretch their lead further over the Colts.
Save for a stretch in the fourth quarter, Dwyer imposed its will quite often on Coral to secure an easy 70-54 victory on the road.
How did the Panthers (13-3) get it done?
As in every other game this season, it was a total team effort. And as in every other game this season, there are a different group of players who step up in a big way.
The top two scores from Dwyer’s most significant game to date were sophomore Blake Wilson and senior Rodrick Johnson, who had 11 points each. Right behind them were senior forward Jonathan “Firetruck” Paul and junior guard Xavier Scott with 10 points each.
“It’s more than a team,” Paul said on his Twitter page. “This a family bruh!”
This tight-knit group will be the first Dwyer team since 2011 to reach the State Final Four, which will be held at RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
“It’s been 10 years since we made it to Lakeland,” Dwyer head coach Fred Ross said. “We knew going into the season if we stayed together and played together as a team, we’d have a chance. But so does everybody.”
Ross spoke on Dwyer’s first half against Coral Springs (8-6), which ended with a 29-19 lead.
“They threw us off with their pressure and traps,” Ross said. “We’re usually the ones who do the pressing and trapping. So yeah, they threw us off a bit. Then we got in foul trouble, so we struggled. But I’ve been saying all along, our non-starters came in the second quarter. We built a tempo and lead because of them.”
Dwyer scored 19 points in the second quarter, six of which came from Wilson.
“Well he’s one of those non-starters I was talking about,” Ross said. “We always tell the guys to stay ready. When you’re number is called, be ready. He hit a couple of big threes. Again, that’s part of what we do.”
Paul chimed in on Wilson’s breakout game.
“Blake came a long way,” Paul said. “Last night I knew it would be a good game when I seen him in warmups making pretty much all his shots. The only thing I told him during the game was to stay calm and let it fly.”
Scott, who scored all of his points in the second half, was also proud of the way Wilson stepped up in this moment.
“Blake is an excellent shooter,” said Scott, who made three three-pointers in the third quarter and a free throw in the fourth. “When he gets in his spot and let it go, it’s all net. I really like Blake. He’s a pure shooter.”
Wilson hit two more jumpers and made a free throw in the fourth quarter for Dwyer, long after the game was out of reach for Coral Springs.
“Honestly he played a really good second half,” Panthers senior guard Cameron Gordon said on behalf of Wilson. “He knocked down some big shots and played good defense. He blocked some shots for us. I’m just happy to see him coming a long way. He came a long way for real.”
Paul spoke on the entire team’s willingness to sacrifice for each other against Coral Springs.
“Last night’s game was truly a team effort,” Paul said. “Our bench really gave us a extra boost when Xavier and Kyle [McNeal] went out with foul trouble. Rodrick [Johnson], Corey [Taylor], and myself had to really be the leaders of that group due to our playoff experience. And Coach [Ross] gave us a really good game plan for the whole entire game.”
Ross shared the best way for Dwyer to win its first state since since 2011.
“We’ve got a system,” Ross said. “We just tell the kids to believe the system, trust the system, and just play together as a team. If we stick together, play hard, and trust the system, then we have a chance.”
SIDE NOTE: Dwyer’s next opponent in Lakeland will not be known until the night of Monday, March 1.
CLASS 2A-REGION 4 FINAL: Grandview Prep 50, Brito (Miami) 47
It was a close one, but the Pride (16-2) dug deep and overcame a small deficit in the closing minutes to win the 2A-Region 4 title over the Panthers (14-9).
Down one point with just under two minutes remaining, junior Drew Cohen drained a three-pointer to put Grandview Prep on top. And then a few moments later, junior point guard Gunner Walters banked in a floater to seal the Pride’s regional title.
The next opponent for Grandview Prep in the Class 2A State Final Four in Lakeland will be Orlando Christian Prep (25-0; No. 1-ranked team in Class 2A). This matchup will take place on Wednesday, March 3 at 12 p.m. inside the RP Funding Center.
PHOTO CREDITS: Keith Forde
