LAKELAND – Holding just a nine-point lead, 28-19, with 3.2 seconds left in the third quarter, Wellington was looking for a spark to push it further ahead of Evans.

The Wolverines found it in sophomore Chris Walker.

With just his second made shot all game, Walker nailed a three to put the Wolverines up double digits heading into the final quarter. That was the beginning of a 9-2 run that pushed Wellington ahead for good, to a 50-32 win and its second straight state title game.

“They walked in with a game plan and executed it to perfection,” said Wellington head coach Matt Colin. “…That was a tremendous job defensively.”

That game plan helped the Wolverines hold Evans to just 11 first half points, the lowest Colin can remember in his time as a head coach.

“Credit to the kids…just being so sound and really playing with a lot of heart, hustle, and effort,” Colin said.

The Warriors shot just 5-for-15 in the first half and 7-for-31 all game (26 percent).

Wellington senior Linton Brown got off to such a hot start, with seven points in the first quarter. He remarkably had as many points as the entire Evans team in the first frame.

Brown finished with a game-high 15 points, as he went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe and 5-of-12 overall. He also led both teams with seven boards.

Junior Jagger Ruiz filled the stat sheet for the Wolverines. He shot 4-of-7 for nine points, along with grabbing six rebounds, dishing out two assists, and a steal.

Regional final hero De’ante Perez shot 6-of-9 for 13 points.

Andy Antoine led Evans with 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting. He also grabbed a team-high six boards and led both squads with five blocks.

Wellington (23-6) will be back in Lakeland tomorrow night (Mar. 9) against Kissimmee Osceola who won the other semifinal 62-54 over South Miami. It is a rematch of the 2017 semifinal which Osceola won, 52-50, on their way to a state championship. Tipoff of the Class 9A championship is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.