Boys hoops: Jesuit tops Robinson in 5A-11

Almost every team has a letdown in performance or intensity during a season, but that hasn't happened yet with the Jesuit High boys basketball team.

The Tigers improved to 25-1 Saturday night, defeating Robinson 75-49 in the Class 5A-District 11 final.

The Tigers took a 15-10 first-quarter lead, then steadily increased it as Joey Galvis and Jack Fleming hit from all over the floor, collecting 26 and 19 points, respectively.

"It just felt good out there, getting open and then knocking down the shots," Galvis said of his career-high scoring total that included his second dunk in a game. "The whole team is playing really well right now."

Fleming led the way from the outside with five 3-pointers. He set the Tigers' single-season record with 79 3-pointers, breaking the mark set by James Bunn in 2002.

"Yes, we have played well all season, but I really think we're peaking right now," Jesuit coach Neal Goldman said. "This team comes in and plays hard and stays focused."

The victory was Jesuit's third of the season over Robinson (22-5), which has lost to only two other teams.

"Hopefully we'll keep this going through the playoffs," Galvis said. "I think this team can do it."

Scott Purks

5A-8: Hudson wins second straight title

After starting the season 0-6, Hudson coach Jason Vetter wasn't too concerned.

He knew once leading scorer Jamal Branco returned from a foot injury and got his basketball legs back, the Cobras would be OK.

He was right.

Hudson has gone 18-4 since, including a 68-61 victory against Wesley Chapel in the Class 5A-District 8 championship.

Branco, who scored a career-high 36 points, and Bryce Durham, with 19 points, paced the Cobras (18-10).

Hudson outscored the Wildcats (24-4) 20-11 in the second quarter and never trailed after two Branco free throws gave Hudson a 27-26 lead in the final minute of the first half.

"Obviously, Jamal being hurt was a big thing," said Vetter, who won a district title last season for the first time in school history.

"But the other guys weren't doing what they were supposed to do. Once we got our heads right … we're a team now. We weren't at the beginning of the season."

Wesley Chapel, the No. 1 seed heading into the tournament, was led by Erik Thomas' 26 points.

Rick Harmon

3A-8: Tampa Prep back in win column

Joe Fenlon didn't go as far as saying last Saturday's loss to Lake Wales was a good thing for his Tampa Prep team, but the veteran coach did see the timing as being the most opportune moment for the Terrapins to drop their first game of the season.

"I think it helped refocus us," Fenlon said. "I think had we beaten Lake Wales and been undefeated, that could have created other problems."

Tampa Prep (26-1) made short work of Seffner Christian (12-12) in the Class 3A-District 8 final, winning 71-43 for the school's seventh straight district championship.

Josh Heath scored a team-high 12 points for Tampa Prep, which had 10 different players score.

Kent Hegarty led Seff-ner Christian with 18 points.

Jarrett Guthrie

2A-8: Cambridge earns another crown

Cambridge Christian downed Academy at the Lakes 43-34 in the Class 2A-District 8 final for the Lancers' third straight championship.

"We had seven to eight juniors really step up and help continue this run," Cambridge coach Jay Bowen said. "It says a lot about the former underclassmen that stepped up."

Robbie Robertson scored a team-high 11 points, Curtis Walls added eight and Philip Johnson and Nacarious Burgess each scored seven for Cambridge.

The Lancers (21-4) were held to only five points in the first quarter, as the upstart Wildcats (15-9) played strong defense in the first half.

"We were lucky to beat them both times (66-50 and 63-61) in the regular season," Bowen said. "Then to come here and beat them again … give Academy a lot of credit. They're a good team."

Cambridge used a 9-1 run in the second quarter to take a sizable lead it would not relinquish.

The Wildcats, who clinched a regional berth with the program's first district runner-up title, got 10 points each from Ethan Haslam and Abaz Igwe, and even pulled within four points at 21-17 in the third quarter.

Mike Camunas