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Boys Basketball: King Set For State Debut

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By NICK WILLIAMS

nwilliams@tampatrib.com

Published: March 4, 2009

Updated:

TAMPA - After the King High boys basketball team defeated Land O' Lakes in the Class 5A region quarterfinals, the players signed a banner recognizing the program's first playoff victory.

In the 49-year history of the school, the program had reached the postseason just three times, losing all three games.

Now, two victories later, and the Lions (23-6) will be making their state tournament debut tonight at 7 against Gainesville (26-3) in the 5A state semifinals at The Lakeland Center.

With Gainesville entering the contest tied with Clearwater for the top ranking in the 5A state poll, the unranked Lions have accepted their role as the underdog in the final four bracket.

"In the back of our minds, it's a motivation," King coach Sam Lanier said. "We want to prove we're a good team."

"It goes to show we were overlooked," senior forward Toarlyn Fitzpatrick said. "It helped us. We didn't get a big head."

King might have an advantage tonight with Gainesville playing without senior guard and second-leading scorer Anthony Nwadigo, who had season-ending knee surgery a few weeks ago. However, the Hurricanes still have Florida Atlantic-bound senior guard Greg Gantt (16.1 ppg) and 6-foot-6 junior forward and Division I prospect T.J. Hall (11.2 ppg).

Fitzpatrick leads King with 14.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Junior guard Rethell Oliver is the second-leading scorer with 8.8 points.

Suffocating defense and patience on offense have been King's strategy. The Lions broke the program record for points allowed in a season, holding opponents to an average of 41.0 points per game, smashing the previous record of 52.5 points.

King also averages 12.6 steals per game, with four players averaging two or more steals per game, led by senior guard Adrian Federick's 2.7 average.

"Defense means everything to us," said senior forward Andrew Donaldson, who scored 13 points in his team's 87-46 win against Daytona Beach Seabreeze in the region final. "We put defense first."

King started the season 6-0, but had to forfeit its first four games, three of them district contests, for use of an ineligible player. The Lions reverted to 2-4, and their starting point guard was forced to leave the team, but the club persevered.

The team set a school record for wins in a season, and sophomore Chauncey Day moved into the role as starting point guard and has become the team's best perimeter threat, shooting 47 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Day averages 7.3 points, 2.6 steals and 2.3 assists per game.

Last summer, Lanier put the team through a rigorous schedule to prepare the players for this type of season.

"Hard work pays off," Federick said.

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851.

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