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Brandon Overcomes Defending Champs

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By ADAM ADKINS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2008

BRANDON - The Brandon Eagles had every reason to be nervous at halftime of their Class 5A regional final against Winter Park Lake Howell, but they insist they weren't. Judging by the final score Saturday night, it's hard to argue against them.

Despite being down to the defending state champs and a program that had advanced to the final four in each of the past five seasons, Brandon never wilted under the pressure. Sparked by seniors Evan Ravenel (23 points) and Blake Allen (24 points), the Eagles opened the third quarter with an 18-2 run to take control and fought off a late Silver Hawks rally for a 78-65 victory.

The Eagles advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 2000. Brandon (24-4) will face Lakewood, a 60-34 winner over Pinellas Park, in a 5A semifinal Wednesday at The Lakeland Center.

"We weren't too nervous," Allen said. "We knew that if we came out after halftime and did our job, we could win."

Brandon trailed 35-32 at the half, but the Eagles wasted little time taking control of the game after the break. Ravenel and Allen accounted for all 18 Eagles points during that huge run to open the quarter, which helped Brandon take a 50-37 with about three minutes left in the third.

When Lake Howell (21-7) finally stopped the bleeding with three free throws from Tavaryus Gray (team-high 22 points), Ravenel did his best to keep the Eagles rolling. The Boston College-bound forward had a monstrous one-handed putback off a miss, a play that kept the crowd and the Eagles fired up.

Ravenel and Allen combined to score 23 of the Eagles' 26 points in the third quarter, and Brandon took a 58-47 lead into the final frame.

"We knew that if we got them down, they'd stay down," Ravenel said.

That wasn't exactly what happened, though. After Brandon extended its lead to 19 early in the fourth quarter, Lake Howell mounted a furious rally and cut its deficit to 68-63 with just less than four minutes remaining.

"I couldn't believe it. I called a timeout and I said, 'Guys, we can't give it away. We've got to come together as a group,'" Brandon coach Mark Hermann said. "And that's what they did."

Brandon closed the game on a 10-2 run, getting three breakaway dunks to ice it. The final was a two-handed, 360-degree jam from forward Marcus Morrison (17 points) with about 30 seconds left, bringing the majority of the fans in the Eagles Nest to their feet cheering as the clock ticked down to zero.

"This is great for them," Hermann said. "They've worked so hard all season. They deserve it."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be

reached at (813) 657-4533 or

aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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