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Plant City Finally Solves Lakeland In Region Semifinal

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By KATHERINE SMITH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 20, 2008

LAKELAND - Plant City coach Wardell Chambers is convinced his team is playing its best basketball right now.

The Raiders were certainly better Tuesday night than in their previous three meetings against Lakeland. Plant City prevented a four-game sweep by the Dreadnaughts with its 77-68 victory, advancing to the Class 6A-Region 2 final on Saturday against Orlando Evans, which defeated Edgewater 54-42.

"We were 0-3 against them, but got better every time," Chambers said. "The third time we played, I told them it's pretty tough to beat somebody a third time.

"This time I really didn't mention it at all. We just had to go out there and play."

Plant City led most of the way after taking the lead early. The Raiders' Channing Woodall capped an early 7-0 run with a steal and a dunk to put Plant City ahead 23-17, its largest lead of the first half.

Lakeland cut its deficit to one early in the third quarter with consecutive layups. But another 7-0 Plant City run kept the Dreadnaughts from getting closer.

Woodall's layup just before the end of the third quarter gave the Raiders their first double-digit lead of the game.

An early fourth-quarter 3-pointer by Plant City junior guard Josh Theibe put the Raiders up by 12, and they retained the double-digit for most of the final quarter. Lakeland cut its deficit to six at one point, but the rally was too late.

"We played with a lot of intensity and a lot of teamwork," said Woodall, who had a game-high 24 points.

Plant City's crowd, which was clearly more vocal than Lakeland's, seemed to feed off the team's intensity. Woodall said his team appreciated the support, and he hopes to give the fans more to cheer about.

"It's a lot of support and it just pushes us," Woodall said. "Because we're not just playing for ourselves, we're playing for the community."

Reporter Katherine Smith can

be reached at (813) 259-7860

or ksmith@tampatrib.com.

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