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Balanced Brandon Continues District Dominance

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By CHARLES GONZALEZ, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 10, 2008

TAMPA - Brandon's senior leadership was front and center as the Eagles captured their fifth district title in six years with a 42-38 victory against the Wharton Wildcats in the Class 5A-District 8 final Saturday.

Brandon had three players in double figures with senior center Evan Ravenel scoring a game-high 17 points. Guard Tarron Stewart had 11 points and Marcus Morrison added 10.

In a fourth quarter that saw only nine shots attempted, Brandon was able to adapt to the slow-down pace the Wildcats tried to implement. With less than two minutes remaining and Brandon up 40-36, Stewart drove the baseline and fed Morrison for a monstrous dunk that sealed the game for the Eagles.

"That play changed the whole momentum of the game," Stewart said. "After we made that play we knew we were going to win the game."

After losing in the district semifinals last season, Stewart and his teammates were happy to be back on top.

"This is the most wonderful feeling ever, the best feeling in the world," Stewart said.

The first three quarters of the game featured spurts from both teams as the lead bounced back and forth. Brandon opened the game with a 13-1 run to grab the lead behind nine first-quarter points from Ravenel.
Wharton bounced back in the second quarter with a 14-2 run to take a 22-15 lead. Brandon answered with a 6-0 run to close out the first half and went into halftime down 22-21.

"I have eight seniors and start five of them so we are supposed to win a close game like that," Brandon coach Mark Hermann said. "That's what I told these kids. These kids have played in hundreds of games and the reason you plays those game is for this moment."

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