BOCA RATON – After going down 11-5 early in the game, Grandview Prep head coach Joe Dawson knew his team had to change the way they executed on offense.
As a result, Dawson elected for a more high-low look in the paint, getting the ball to his senior big men, who would become the catalysts for the offense.
“They got off to a great start. I don’t think they missed a shot in the first quarter,” said Dawson. “So, we really struggled against that. We had to make some adjustments on defense but our biggest thing was offensively, we wanted to make sure we got the ball inside. And our two big guys, Pedro Brown and Makye Boles, really carried us.”
In order to do so, Dawson turned to a high-low game, which pulled the Atlantic Christian big men out the paint and opened things up for the Pride.
“Our game plan was to get their big men out of the paint,” said Brown, the senior big men. “We got a high-low game in there. So, we were able to execute really well on that.”
The result of this switch? A 15-0 run to start the second quarter and a big lead that Grandview Prep (15-2) would not give up en route to a 60-50 victory in the Class 2A-Region 4 semifinal.
While the Pride was led by Boles (22 points, 8 rebounds), it was really the play of Brown that helped open up the play for other players, including Boles himself.
Brown was lethal in the second quarter. Every time the senior received the ball at the free throw line, he attacked the Atlantic Christian defense, opening up big-time plays for players around
him.
“No question [they were trying to find a way to stop Pedro],” said Dawson. “They started to extend their defense too. The game kind of opened up a little bit, so we were able to find the ball in better spots.”
By the end of the game, the defense for Atlantic Christian (9-5 final record) had become so focused on Brown that players like Boles and Drew Cohen – who contributed 9 points – were left with nothing but open space both near the basket and out towards the free throw line.
While the crowd may have been limited due to COVID-19 protocols, Dawson believes that the home-court advantage – which was Grandview Prep’s because of their district championship – played a role in the end result.
“Atlantic Christian is a tough team to play. We play them every year. They’re a very well-coached team. They’re well-disciplined, and they play hard the whole game,” said Dawson. “We have so much respect for them, so we’re lucky the game was at home.”
The win means one simple thing: Grandview Prep’s 2A state title run isn’t over yet.
Only one game stands in the way of the Pride and another trip to Lakeland.
That very game will come on the road Friday night (Feb. 26; 7 p.m. tip-off) in the 2A-Region 4 final against Brito (Miami), who handled Miami Christian (68-40 win last night) with ease in its own 2A-Region 4 semifinal game to improve to 14-8.
PHOTO CREDITS: Keith Forde
