LAKELAND – After a disappointing end to last season, the Wellington Wolverines wanted to make sure they were on the right end of the scoreboard this time in the Class 9A state championship game.

They fell just one game short of that again, falling 50-43 to Kissimmee Osceola (26-7) Saturday night.

“Just how proud I am of our players,” said head coach Matt Colin on what was going through his head after the loss. “Nobody expected this the way we started off our season…the kids actually grew together and became a team, where they loved one another, stuck up for one another, celebrated one another, and I couldn’t be more excited to see that process happen with this group of guys.”

The Wolverines (25-7) were only trailing 44-43 with 2:30 remaining, but completely froze after that. They were unable to buy a bucket and Osecola senior Diwun Black went 4-for-4 on his free throws to help ice the game out.

In addition to going a perfect 10-for-10 on his free throws, Black was 12-of-19 overall and scored a game-high 35 points, which was 70 percent of his team’s points.

“He was the difference maker,” said Colin on Black. “Hats off to him and the way he played and carried his team.”

Wellington maintained a 32-25 lead early in the second half. Black then took over the next couple of minutes for Osceola, scoring nine straight for the Kowboys and giving them a 35-32 lead with 4:27 remaining.

Osceola maintained a one-point lead, 37-36, going into the fourth quarter.

Wellington took a 43-42 lead with 3:15 left in the fourth after Linton Brown’s two free throws, but couldn’t convert after that.

The Wolverines got off to a quick 7-2 lead in the first four minutes, but Osceola answered back quickly. The Kowboys went on a 10-2 run over the next two minutes, taking a 12-9 lead.

The two teams then traded baskets back and forth, with Wellington leading 15-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Two quick buckets to start the second helped the Kowboys reclaim the lead, 19-15. Still trailing 19-17, Wellington called a timeout with 6:10 remaining.

Following that sequence, the Wolverines closed the half on a 13-4 run and took a 30-23 lead at halftime.

Brown and Chris Walker combined for 11 of the team’s 15 second-quarter points.

In his final game, Brown led his team with 19 points on 4-of-12 shooting. He also had a team-high eight rebounds and one steal. “

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“I felt like I could of did a lot better,” said Brown on his performance. “I missed a lot of easy ones…(I) could have done a lot of things to lead my team to a victory, but I didn’t.

Colin commented on how special Brown has been for the Wolverines program.

“He is going to be remembered throughout time in our school and our gym,” said Colin. “He was a leader for us and got these guys to play together, and that is what you want from your best player.”

NOTE: Walker had nine points, three rebounds, and a block in tonight’s state title game.