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Wildcats Complete 3-Peat

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By CRISTINA LEDRA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 3, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - For 2 1/2 quarters, neither Wesley Chapel nor Land O' Lakes could sink a basket with consistency.

Then the Wildcats felt a spark from a show of emotion from Janelle Mills and a lengthy basket from Caitlin Deboer in the early stages of a 19-0 run Saturday night, and Wesley Chapel went on to its third Class 5A-District 7 girls basketball title in as many years with a 47-39 win.

"This was the one I really wanted, especially with the way it went down," Wesley Chapel coach Warren Jones said. "Our backs were against the wall and we fought and fought and fought."

The game began with virtually no offense. Land O' Lakes (24-3) led 6-3 after one quarter and 13-7 at the half.

But once Wesley Chapel (22-4) started scoring in the third quarter, it didn't stop. Land O' Lakes' shots wouldn't fall and the Wildcats grabbed rebounds in a rough-and-tumble battle and converted them into baskets.

"Defensively we had them, but offensively, I don't know what we were doing wrong," Mills said. "I don't think we were doing anything wrong. I just think we were getting caught up in our emotions, but we had to leave our emotions on the court and just play."

The momentum clearly had shifted in Wesley Chapel's favor by the fourth quarter, but Land O' Lakes kept fighting, several times pulling within two points. Then Wesley Chapel went on another 8-0 run.

"We mentally broke down," Land O' Lakes coach Laurie Pacholke said. "We got kids in foul trouble and then when Kayli Keough fouled out, that was bad. We just didn't have enough to come back."

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